Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

तस्मिञ्छासति लोकानां नासीत्सौख्यं कदाचन । परदार रुचिर्नित्यं महादण्डपरश्च सः

Transliteration

tasmiñchāsati lokānāṃ nāsītsaukhyaṃ kadācana | paradāra rucirnityaṃ mahādaṇḍaparaśca saḥ

Translation

Enquanto ele governava, o povo jamais conheceu felicidade. Ele se inclinava sempre às esposas alheias e deleitava-se em punições severas.

Word by Word

• tasmin: when/while he (was)
• tasmin: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• śāsati: (he) rules
• śāsati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śās (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वर्तमानकाले ("while ruling")

• lokānām: of the people
• lokānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saukhyam: happiness
• saukhyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kadācana: ever
• kadācana: Kāla-adhikarana (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kadācana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक ("ever/at any time")

• paradāraḥ: another’s wife
• paradāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para-dāra (प्रातिपदिक; पर + दार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (परस्य दाराः)

• ruciḥ: desire/liking
• ruciḥ: Karta (Predicate-noun/कर्ता-स्थानी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ruci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• mahādaṇḍaparaḥ: given to harsh punishment
• mahādaṇḍaparaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-daṇḍa-para (प्रातिपदिक; महा + दण्ड + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (महादण्डे परः = devoted to severe punishment)

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

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

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (narrative locus)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split tableau: on one side, oppressed citizens with downcast faces; on the other, the king pursuing another’s wife while guards wield rods—symbolizing lust and harsh punishment.

Characters & Entities

• Aprastuta (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler’s adharma becomes public suffering; personal vice and cruelty in governance destroy collective well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it continues the background story leading to the tīrtha’s saving power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it condemns immoral conduct (paradāra) and oppressive punishment.