Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । केन कर्मविपाकेन ममैतद्राज्यमुत्तमम् । निष्कण्टकं सदा क्षेमं सर्वकामसमन्वितम्

Transliteration

rājovāca | kena karmavipākena mamaitadrājyamuttamam | niṣkaṇṭakaṃ sadā kṣemaṃ sarvakāmasamanvitam

Translation

രാജാവ് പറഞ്ഞു—ഏത് കർമ്മവിപാകം കൊണ്ടാണ് എനിക്ക് ഈ ഉത്തമരാജ്യം ലഭിച്ചത്? ഇത് എപ്പോഴും കണ്ഠകരഹിതം, സദാ ക്ഷേമ-മംഗളമയം, സർവകാമസിദ്ധിയാൽ സമന്വിതം.

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• केन: by what?
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कर्मविपाकेन: by the fruition of karma
• कर्मविपाकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + विपाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः विपाकः)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्)

• निष्कण्टकम्: free of thorns/obstacles
• निष्कण्टकम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्); कर्मधारय (कण्टक-रहित)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Avyaya (Adverb/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• क्षेमम्: secure/prosperous
• क्षेमम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षेम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्)

• सर्वकामसमन्वितम्: endowed with all desires (fulfilled)
• सर्वकामसमन्वितम्: Karta (Subject complement/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + काम + समन्वित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √इ/वृ? 'सम्-अन्वि' as adjective stem समन्वित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (राज्यम्); तत्पुरुष (सर्वैः कामैः समन्वितम्)

Speaker

Rājā (the King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vasiṣṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, crowned and radiant, questions Vasiṣṭha with earnest wonder; behind him, an ideal cityscape—orderly streets, flourishing fields—symbolizing ‘niṣkaṇṭaka’ rule.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (King)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly stability and success are portrayed as the maturation of prior deeds (karma-vipāka), encouraging ethical living and meritorious acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse sets up the inquiry within Arbuda-khaṇḍa (Mt. Arbuda region) but does not yet name a specific tīrtha in the line itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the king is asking about the causes—charity, vows, sacrifice, austerity—leading to such prosperity.