Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

सर्वैस्तैर्जायते यज्ञः पार्थिवैः करदीकृतैः । युद्धं विना करं तेऽपि न यच्छन्ति यतो विभो

Transliteration

sarvaistairjāyate yajñaḥ pārthivaiḥ karadīkṛtaiḥ | yuddhaṃ vinā karaṃ te'pi na yacchanti yato vibho

Translation

ആ യജ്ഞം എല്ലാ രാജാക്കളെയും കരദരായി (അധീനരായി) ആക്കുമ്പോഴേ സിദ്ധിയാകൂ. യുദ്ധമില്ലാതെ അവർ പോലും കരമൊന്നും നൽകുകയില്ല—അതുകൊണ്ട്, ഹേ വിഭോ!

Word by Word

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (तैः)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• जायते: arises, is produced
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यज्ञः: sacrifice
• यज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पार्थिवैः: by kings, rulers
• पार्थिवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• करदीकृतैः: made tributary, reduced to paying tribute
• करदीकृतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: करदीकृत (प्रातिपदिक; करदी + कृत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण (पार्थिवैः)

• युद्धम्: battle, war
• युद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Avyaya (Preposition-like)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद (preposition) — ‘विना’ योगे द्वितीया

• करम्: tribute, tax
• करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); ‘also/even’

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• यच्छन्ति: they give
• यच्छन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु; यच्छति)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• यतः: because
• यतः: Avyaya (Causal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतु/कारणवाचक (because/for)

• विभो: O mighty one
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Harīścandra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A conceptual tableau: on one side, a grand yajña-altar awaiting completion; on the other, rival kings refusing tribute; between them, Harīścandra torn, addressing the deity about the necessity of making kings tributary.

Characters & Entities

• Harīścandra
• Subordinate kings (pārthivāḥ)
• Tribute (kara)
• War (yuddha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Great dharmic undertakings have worldly prerequisites; a ruler must confront realpolitik while remaining aligned with righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya dialogue but focuses on the mechanics of Rājasūya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Rājasūya’s prerequisite is implied: securing tributary status (kara) from other kings.