Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

क्षत्रस्यातिप्रवृद्धस्य ब्राह्मणानां प्रभावतः । ब्राह्मं हि परमं पूज्यं क्षत्रं हि ब्रह्मसंभवम्

Transliteration

kṣatrasyātipravṛddhasya brāhmaṇānāṃ prabhāvataḥ | brāhmaṃ hi paramaṃ pūjyaṃ kṣatraṃ hi brahmasaṃbhavam

Translation

ക്ഷത്രശക്തി അതിയായി വളർന്നാലും അത് ബ്രാഹ്മണരുടെ പ്രഭാവം കൊണ്ടുതന്നെ; ബ്രാഹ്മതത്ത്വം പരമ പൂജ്യം, ക്ഷത്രവും ബ്രഹ്മത്തിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചതാണ്.

Word by Word

• क्षत्रस्य: of the kṣatra (royal power/warrior order)
• क्षत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• अति-प्रवृद्धस्य: of (it) greatly grown/excessively increased
• अति-प्रवृद्धस्य: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + प्रवृद्ध (कृदन्त; √वृध् (धातु) + प्र-उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘प्रवृद्ध’ = greatly increased

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठीविभक्ति, बहुवचन

• प्रभावतः: due to (their) power/influence
• प्रभावतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) = ‘from/owing to (the) power’

• ब्राह्मम्: the Brahminical (power/authority)
• ब्राह्मम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पूज्यम्: worthy of worship
• पूज्यम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (कृदन्त; √पूज् (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कृदन्त (यत्) = ‘to be worshipped’

• क्षत्रम्: the kṣatra (royal power)
• क्षत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• ब्रह्म-सम्भवम्: born from Brahman (i.e., originating from Brahmins/Brahma)
• ब्रह्म-सम्भवम्: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः सम्भवः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king with a modest retinue bows before a seated brāhmaṇa council near a temple courtyard, symbolizing royal power tempered by brahmanical guidance.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Kṣatra
• Brahman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Political power must remain rooted in spiritual wisdom; kṣatra is legitimate and stable only when aligned with brahmanic guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, as the narrative context for dharma teaching associated with the holy region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is specified; it is a doctrinal statement supporting reverence and proper governance.