Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

आयुर्यशो बलं वित्तं संततिश्चाक्षया नृप । तेषां भविष्यते नूनं ये प्रजापालने रताः

Transliteration

āyuryaśo balaṃ vittaṃ saṃtatiścākṣayā nṛpa | teṣāṃ bhaviṣyate nūnaṃ ye prajāpālane ratāḥ

Translation

நீண்ட ஆயுள், புகழ், வலிமை, செல்வம், அழியாத சந்ததி—அரசே! குடிமக்கள் பாதுகாப்பில் ஈடுபடுவோர்க்கு இவை அனைத்தும் நிச்சயமாக உண்டாகும்.

Word by Word

• āyuḥ: life-span
• āyuḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yaśaḥ: fame
• yaśaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yaśas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• balam: strength
• balam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vittam: wealth
• vittam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• saṃtatiḥ: progeny
• saṃtatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃtati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; “सन्तानः/वंशः”

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction: “and”)

• akṣayā: imperishable
• akṣayā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण—“अक्षया” (imperishable)

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम—“उनका/उनके”

• bhaviṣyate: will be
• bhaviṣyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू सत्तायाम्)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• nūnam: surely
• nūnam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय (particle/adverb: “surely”)

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम—“ये (who)”

• prajāpālane: in protecting subjects
• prajāpālane: Adhikaraṇa (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā + pālana (प्रातिपदिक; √pāl/पाल रक्षणे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; “प्रजापालन” (protection of subjects)

• ratāḥ: engaged
• ratāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (कृदन्त, √ram/रम् क्रीडायाम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), विशेषण—“रताः” (engaged/delighted)

Speaker

Vyāsa (deduced: concluding rāja-dharma merit statement)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A blessing-like proclamation: the teacher enumerates the fruits of prajā-pālana; imagery can show a king overseeing safe roads, protected pilgrims, thriving markets, and well-kept temples.

Characters & Entities

• Prajā (subjects)
• Nṛpa (king/addressee)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous governance—protecting people and dharma—naturally yields lasting prosperity and honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is directly praised; the verse reinforces the dharmic ideals that uphold sacred regions like the Revā corridor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a ritual; it prescribes prajā-pālana (protecting subjects) as a core royal duty.