Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

किं धनेन करिष्यामि राज्येणान्तःपुरेण च

Transliteration

kiṃ dhanena kariṣyāmi rājyeṇāntaḥpureṇa ca

Translation

धनेन किं करिष्यामि? राज्येनान्तःपुरेण च किम्?

Word by Word

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun (प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम)

• धनेन: with wealth / by wealth
• धनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental (करण)

• करिष्यामि: shall I do
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• राज्येण: with kingdom / by kingship
• राज्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental (करण)

• अन्तःपुरेण: with inner apartments / harem
• अन्तःपुरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःपुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental (करण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Unspecified penitent (contextual speaker within Revā Khaṇḍa narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas (contextual)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal or affluent figure pauses in introspection, turning away from treasure, throne, and palace chambers, gaze lifted toward a distant Śiva shrine by the river.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly power and luxury cannot save one from the consequences of adharma; true refuge lies in spiritual surrender.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the Revā Khaṇḍa’s broader pilgrimage ethos by prioritizing devotion over status.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it expresses inner renunciation (vairāgya) as preparation for śaraṇāgati.