Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 172

Devanagari script

इन्द्र उवाच । भ्रष्टराज्यो नृपो योऽत्र स्नानं दानं करिष्यति । सर्वशत्रुक्षयस्तस्य राज्यावाप्तिर्भविष्यति

Transliteration

indra uvāca | bhraṣṭarājyo nṛpo yo'tra snānaṃ dānaṃ kariṣyati | sarvaśatrukṣayastasya rājyāvāptirbhaviṣyati

Translation

ഇന്ദ്രൻ പറഞ്ഞു: രാജ്യം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ട രാജാവ് ഇവിടെ സ്നാനവും ദാനവും ചെയ്താൽ, അവന്റെ എല്ലാ ശത്രുക്കളും നശിക്കുകയും അവന് വീണ്ടും രാജ്യം ലഭിക്കുകയും ചെയ്യും.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• भ्रष्टराज्यः: deprived of kingdom
• भ्रष्टराज्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्रष्ट (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्येभ्रष्टः/राज्यस्य भ्रष्टः)

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत्

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• दानम्: gift, charity
• दानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सर्वशत्रुक्षयः: destruction of all enemies
• सर्वशत्रुक्षयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां शत्रूणां क्षयः)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• राज्यावाप्तिः: attainment of kingdom
• राज्यावाप्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अवाप्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (राज्यस्य अवाप्तिः)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Indra

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra tīrtha (Arbuda-khaṇḍa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The narrative audience within the māhātmya (and implicitly Kṛṣṇa/Devī context of the surrounding passage)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A deposed king, unarmed and humble, bathes at the tīrtha and offers generous charity to brāhmaṇas and the poor; in the background, enemies’ banners fall and a throne is symbolically restored; Indra appears as the declarer of the boon.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Nṛpa (king)
• Snāna
• Dāna
• Śatru (enemies)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For rulers, tīrtha-based austerity and generosity are portrayed as dharmic means to restore order, strength, and rightful rule.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda-kṣetra sacred spot where snāna and dāna are performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bath) and dāna (charitable giving) performed at the tīrtha to secure enemy-destruction and restoration of kingship.