Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

स्ववशे स्थापयित्वा तान्नृपतीन्पांडुनंदनाः । तैर्दत्तं बहुधा द्रव्यमसंख्यातमनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

svavaśe sthāpayitvā tānnṛpatīnpāṃḍunaṃdanāḥ | tairdattaṃ bahudhā dravyamasaṃkhyātamanuttamam

Translation

ସେହି ନୃପତିମାନଙ୍କୁ ନିଜ ବଶରେ ସ୍ଥାପନ କରି ପାଣ୍ଡୁନନ୍ଦନମାନେ, ସେମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା କରରୂପେ ଦିଆଯାଇଥିବା ବହୁପ୍ରକାର ଅସଂଖ୍ୟ ଉତ୍ତମ ଧନ ଗ୍ରହଣ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• स्ववशे: under (their) own control
• स्ववशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + वश (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—स्वस्य वशः

• स्थापयित्वा: having placed/established
• स्थापयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) (णिच् causative: स्थापय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) causative; अव्ययभाव

• तान्: those
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• नृपतीन्: kings
• नृपतीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• पाण्डुनन्दनाः: sons of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डुनन्दनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—पाण्डोः नन्दनाः

• तैः: by them
• तैः: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive sense/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दत्तम्: given
• दत्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• बहुधा: in many ways/abundantly
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• द्रव्यम्: wealth/materials
• द्रव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• असंख्यातम्: countless
• असंख्यातम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + संख्यात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/निषेध

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक (superlative sense: unsurpassed)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, likely Sūta-style narration) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Subdued kings offer heaps of jewels, gold, textiles, and elephants as tribute; the Pāṇḍavas stand as disciplined recipients, indicating authority without cruelty.

Characters & Entities

• Pāṇḍu-nandanas (Pāṇḍavas)
• Nṛpatis (kings)
• Dravya (tribute/wealth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth becomes sanctified when gathered through rightful authority and directed toward dharmic purposes like yajña and dāna.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu-kṣetra is the larger sacred canvas; this verse focuses on the royal-economic support of ritual.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription, but the verse explains the accumulation of resources meant for a major sacrifice.