Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

यद्यपीयं देवतानां भूमिर्द्रव्यं च पार्थिव । तथापि यस्मिन्यः काले राजा प्रार्थ्यः स निश्चितम्

Transliteration

yadyapīyaṃ devatānāṃ bhūmirdravyaṃ ca pārthiva | tathāpi yasminyaḥ kāle rājā prārthyaḥ sa niścitam

Translation

Wahai raja, walaupun tanah ini dan kekayaannya sesungguhnya milik para dewa, namun tetap ada waktu dan keadaan tertentu yang padanya raja memang mesti dipohon—hal ini telah ditetapkan dengan teguh.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• api: even/although
• api: Sambandha (Concessive/अनुज्ञा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-निपात (even/although)

• iyam: this
• iyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• devatānām: of the deities
• devatānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन

• bhūmiḥ: land
• bhūmiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• dravyam: wealth/materials
• dravyam: Karta (Co-subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• pārthiva: O king
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन

• tathā: thus
• tathā: Sambandha (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (thus/so)

• api: nevertheless
• api: Sambandha (Concessive/अनुज्ञा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-निपात (nevertheless/also)

• yasmin: in which
• yasmin: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• kāle: at the time
• kāle: Kala/Adhikarana (Time locus/काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• prārthyaḥ: to be requested (should be petitioned)
• prārthyaḥ: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√arth (धातु) + ya (कृत्य-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (यत्/ण्यत्-भाव) ‘प्रार्थ्य’ = प्रार्थनीय; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• saḥ: he/that
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• niścitam: certain/definite
• niścitam: Karta (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni√ci (धातु) + kta (कृत्)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावेन ‘निश्चितम्’ = निश्चितरूपेण/निश्चयः

Speaker

Nārada (contextual; continuing instruction to the king)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: pārthiva / king

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada explains to the king the principle of divine ownership and royal petitioning; the king listens thoughtfully, with ministers or scribes nearby, suggesting formal grant procedure.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Devatāḥ
• Rājā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kingship is stewardship: land and wealth are ultimately divine, yet dharma recognizes proper occasions to seek royal sanction and support.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it frames dharmic governance and rightful petition rather than a site-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the verse sets a dharmic principle relevant to dāna and lawful acquisition/permission.