Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

ततो युद्धार्थिनं मां ते वारयंति हितैषिणः । कृतोत्साहं मखप्राप्तौ नीतिमार्गसमाश्रिताः

Transliteration

tato yuddhārthinaṃ māṃ te vārayaṃti hitaiṣiṇaḥ | kṛtotsāhaṃ makhaprāptau nītimārgasamāśritāḥ

Translation

അതുകൊണ്ട് ഞാൻ യുദ്ധം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുമ്പോൾ ആ ഹിതൈഷികൾ എന്നെ തടയുന്നു. യാഗസിദ്ധിക്കായി ഞാൻ ഉത്സാഹമുള്ളവനായിരുന്നാലും, അവർ നയ-മാർഗവും ഉപദേശ-മാർഗവും ആശ്രയിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Avyaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तस्मात्/अतः (therefore/then)

• युद्धार्थिनम्: desiring war
• युद्धार्थिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युद्धार्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; युद्ध + अर्थिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• वारयन्ति: they restrain, prevent
• वारयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु; वारयति)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हितैषिणः: well-wishers
• हितैषिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हितैषिन् (प्रातिपदिक; हित + एषिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद (ते) का विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• कृतोत्साहम्: having mustered enthusiasm, prepared
• कृतोत्साहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृतोत्साह (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + उत्साह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• मखप्राप्तौ: in attaining the sacrifice
• मखप्राप्तौ: Adhikarana (Goal-context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मखप्राप्ति (प्रातिपदिक; मख + प्राप्ति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; लक्ष्य/अधिकरण

• नीतिमार्गसमाश्रिताः: having resorted to the path of policy
• नीतिमार्गसमाश्रिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नीतिमार्गसमाश्रित (प्रातिपदिक; नीति + मार्ग + समाश्रित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (ते/हितैषिणः)

Speaker

Harīścandra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ministers gently but firmly restrain the king—one hand raised in counsel, another indicating a scroll of policy; Harīścandra’s eager posture contrasts with their calm, reasoned stance; the deity’s presence sanctifies the debate.

Characters & Entities

• Harīścandra
• Well-wishers (hitaiṣiṇaḥ)
• Policy (nīti)
• War (yuddha)
• Sacrifice (makha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous goals must be pursued through right means; wise counsel and nīti can temper impulsive violence even in kingly duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; the immediate focus is royal decision-making within the larger tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; it frames the practical challenge of reaching makha (sacrificial completion).