Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

शतानीको महीपालः पृथिवीमन्वपालयत् । बुद्धिमान्नीतिमान्वाग्मी प्रजापालनतत्परः

Transliteration

śatānīko mahīpālaḥ pṛthivīmanvapālayat | buddhimānnītimānvāgmī prajāpālanatatparaḥ

Translation

Raja Śatānīka, sang mahīpāla, memerintah bumi; baginda bijaksana, mahir dalam nīti kenegaraan, petah berkata-kata, serta teguh berbakti melindungi rakyat jelata.

Word by Word

• śatānīkaḥ: Śatānīka (name)
• śatānīkaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatānīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• mahīpālaḥ: king, protector of the earth
• mahīpālaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahīpāla (प्रातिपदिक; mahī + pāla)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• pṛthivīm: the earth
• pṛthivīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• anu: along, after (as preverb)
• anu: Upasarga (Preverb/उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग (preverb)

• apālayat: ruled, protected
• apālayat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धाातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); उपसर्गः anu-

• buddhimān: intelligent
• buddhimān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: buddhimant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• nītimān: policy-wise, prudent
• nītimān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nītimant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• vāgmī: eloquent
• vāgmī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāgmin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• prajā-pālana-tatparaḥ: devoted to protecting the subjects
• prajā-pālana-tatparaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक) + pālana (प्रातिपदिक) + tatpara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator voice)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous king seated in sabhā, receiving petitions; ministers nearby; symbols of justice and protection (umbrella, chowries, dharma-staff).

Characters & Entities

• Śatānīka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous rulership is service: intelligence, ethical policy, and protection of subjects are core rājadharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None directly; the verse is characterizing a king.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.