Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

मित्रस्नेहात्ततस्तस्य काशिराजः सहानुगः । सर्वसैन्यपरीवारस्ततः पौंड्रमुपाययौ

Transliteration

mitrasnehāttatastasya kāśirājaḥ sahānugaḥ | sarvasainyaparīvārastataḥ pauṃḍramupāyayau

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവനോടുള്ള മിത്രസ്നേഹത്താൽ കാശിരാജൻ അനുചരന്മാരോടുകൂടി, സമസ്ത സൈന്യപരിവാരത്താൽ ചുറ്റപ്പെട്ടവനായി, പൗണ്ഡ്രനെ സഹായിക്കുവാൻ പുറപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• मित्रस्नेहात्: from affection of friendship
• मित्रस्नेहात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘friendship-affection’); पुंलिङ्गम्, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (Ablative), एकवचनम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम्

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्/नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• काशिराजः: the king of Kashi
• काशिराजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काशी (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘king of Kashi’); पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative), एकवचनम्

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakari (Accompaniment/सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; सहार्थक-उपपद (with)

• अनुगः: having followers
• अनुगः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सर्वसैन्यपरीवारः: with all his troops as entourage
• सर्वसैन्यपरीवारः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सैन्य (प्रातिपदिक) + परीवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (determinative; ‘having all the army as retinue’); पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम्

• पौंड्रम्: Paundra (region/city)
• पौंड्रम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौंड्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्; देश/नगरनाम

• उपाययौ: approached/went to
• उपाययौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + या (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः: उप

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The King of Kāśī, moved by friendship, departs with a full military retinue to aid Pauṇḍraka; banners, elephants, chariots, and marching infantry fill the road.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśīrāja
• Pauṇḍraka/Pauṇḍra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly loyalties can draw rulers into adharma; friendship without discernment becomes a cause of downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is referenced through the Kāśīrāja; the verse highlights Kāśī’s political presence rather than a ritual praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes military support and movement.