Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच । प्रह्लादेन च संत्यक्ते राज्ये पितृसमुद्भवे । अन्धकः स्थापितस्तत्र संमंत्र्य सचिवैर्मिथः

Transliteration

sūta uvāca | prahlādena ca saṃtyakte rājye pitṛsamudbhave | andhakaḥ sthāpitastatra saṃmaṃtrya sacivairmithaḥ

Translation

ସୂତ କହିଲେ—ପ୍ରହ୍ଲାଦ ପିତୃପ୍ରାପ୍ତ ରାଜ୍ୟ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରିବା ପରେ, ମନ୍ତ୍ରୀମାନେ ପରସ୍ପର ପରାମର୍ଶ କରି ସେଠାରେ ଅନ୍ଧକଙ୍କୁ ସ୍ଥାପିତ କଲେ।

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta (the narrator)
• सूतः: Sambodhana/Prastavana (Speaker identification)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रह्लादेन: by Prahlāda
• प्रह्लादेन: Karana (Instrument/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्लाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• संत्यक्ते: (when) abandoned
• संत्यक्ते: Adhikarana (Locative setting)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-त्यज् (धातु) + त्यक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगे ‘त्यक्ते’ = ‘having been abandoned’

• राज्ये: in the kingdom
• राज्ये: Adhikarana (Location/context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पितृसमुद्भवे: inherited from the father
• पितृसमुद्भवे: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: ‘पितृ-समुद्भव’ = ‘from the father’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; राज्ये विशेषण

• अन्धकः: Andhaka
• अन्धकः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• स्थापितः: was स्थापित/appointed
• स्थापितः: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa / Predicate (Passive predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + स्थापित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘was installed/appointed’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• संमंत्र्य: having consulted
• संमंत्र्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्-मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having consulted’

• सचिवैः: with/by the ministers
• सचिवैः: Sahakari/Karana (Associates/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सचिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• मिथः: mutually, among themselves
• मिथः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथः (अव्यय)
• Form: परस्परवाचक-अव्यय (reciprocal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (assembly of sages, traditionally at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal court scene: Prahlāda, serene and unadorned, relinquishes the insignia of rule; ministers confer and ceremonially install Andhaka on the throne.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Prahlāda
• Andhaka
• Ministers (Sacivas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts personal renunciation with social order: when one declines power for dharmic reasons, governance continues through counsel and lawful succession.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it remains part of the chapter’s narrative flow.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None is stated.