Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

राज्ञीनामयुतंभावि कुमाराणां शतत्रयम् । वृद्धकाल इति ख्यात उग्रः परपुरंजयः

Transliteration

rājñīnāmayutaṃbhāvi kumārāṇāṃ śatatrayam | vṛddhakāla iti khyāta ugraḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ

Translation

ତାହାଙ୍କର ଦଶହଜାର ରାଣୀ ଓ ତିନିଶହ କୁମାର ହେବେ; ସେ ଉଗ୍ର, ପର-ପୁରଜୟୀ, ‘ବୃଦ୍ଧକାଳ’ ନାମରେ ଖ୍ୟାତ ଥିଲେ।

Word by Word

• राज्ञीनाम्: of the queens
• राज्ञीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्ञी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अयुतम्: ten thousand
• अयुतम्: Visheshya (Object quantified/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक

• भावि: to be, future
• भावि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) + इन् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भविष्यत्कालवाचक विशेषण; प्रायः अव्ययवत्/अव्यक्त-लिङ्गवचन (indeclinable-like usage)

• कुमाराणाम्: of the princes
• कुमाराणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शतत्रयम्: three hundred
• शतत्रयम्: Visheshya (Count/measure term)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); संख्यावाचक

• वृद्धकालः: (one) named Vṛddhakāla
• वृद्धकालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• इति: thus, so-called
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्यातः: known, famed
• ख्यातः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उग्रः: fierce
• उग्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परपुरंजयः: conqueror of enemy cities
• परपुरंजयः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + पुर + जि (धातु) + अ (प्रातिपदिक-निर्माण)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परस्य पुरम्) + उपपद-समास (…जय); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages / addressed brāhmaṇa (dvija) in internal narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formidable king named Vṛddhakāla seated on a jeweled throne, surrounded by many queens and princes in a vast court; banners and conquered-city emblems suggest his epithet 'conqueror of enemy cities'.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛddhakāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even immense royal prosperity and military might are framed within the broader Purāṇic narrative of dharma and sacred place-glory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) as the setting for celebrated royal figures in the Kāśī-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this verse introduces royal magnitude and a named ruler within the mahatmya narrative.