Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

पंचाशीतिसहस्राणि वर्षाणां वै नराधिपः । स सप्तरत्नवान्सम्राट् चक्रवर्ती बभूव ह

Transliteration

paṃcāśītisahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ vai narādhipaḥ | sa saptaratnavānsamrāṭ cakravartī babhūva ha

Translation

ആ നരാധിപൻ എൺപത്തയ്യായിരം വർഷം രാജ്യം ഭരിച്ചു. അദ്ദേഹം സപ്തരത്നസമ്പന്നനായ സമ്രാട്, ചക്രവർത്തിയായി ഭവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• पञ्चाशीतिसहस्राणि: eighty-five thousand
• पञ्चाशीतिसहस्राणि: Kāla/Parimāṇa (Measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चाशीति + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यासमास-प्रायः (पञ्चाशीतिः सहस्राणि)

• वर्षाणाम्: of years
• वर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphasis/assurance)

• नराधिपः: king, lord of men
• नराधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् अधिपः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सप्तरत्नवान्: possessing the seven jewels
• सप्तरत्नवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त + रत्न + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सप्त रत्नानि यस्य)

• सम्राट्: emperor
• सम्राट्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्राज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; हलन्त-प्रातिपदिक (सम्राट्)

• चक्रवर्ती: universal monarch (cakravartin)
• चक्रवर्ती: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र + वर्तिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (चक्रं वर्तते यस्य/चक्रधारी सार्वभौमः)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed (particle)
• ह: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphasis/metrical filler)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kārttavīrya as a universal monarch: enthroned with the seven jewels (saptaratna) symbolically arrayed—wheel, elephant, horse, jewel, queen, minister, general—suggesting complete sovereignty and auspicious order.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttavīrya Arjuna
• Saptaratna
• Cakravartin

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Imperial prosperity is portrayed as a fruit of dharmic order and merit, yet remains within the bounds of time.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra indirectly, through the Māhātmya’s sacred-historical framing.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.