Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

महारथो महेष्वासो नानाशास्त्रार्थकोविदः । वदान्यो रूपसंपन्नो युवा लक्ष णसंयुतः

Transliteration

mahāratho maheṣvāso nānāśāstrārthakovidaḥ | vadānyo rūpasaṃpanno yuvā lakṣa ṇasaṃyutaḥ

Translation

அவன் மகாரதன், வல்ல வில்லாளன், பல சாஸ்திரங்களின் பொருளில் தேர்ந்தவன். தானசீலன், அழகன், இளமைமிக்கவன்; சுபலக்ஷணங்களும் நற்குணங்களும் உடையவன்.

Word by Word

• महārathaḥ: great charioteer
• महārathaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः

• mahā-iṣvāsaḥ: great archer
• mahā-iṣvāsaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + iṣvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• nānā-śāstra-artha-kovidaḥ: skilled in the meanings of various treatises
• nānā-śāstra-artha-kovidaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक) + kovida (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषण

• vadānyaḥ: generous
• vadānyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vadānya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• rūpa-saṃpannaḥ: endowed with beauty
• rūpa-saṃpannaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃpanna (कृदन्त; √pad/पद् with सम्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; विशेषण

• yuvā: a youth
• yuvā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• lakṣaṇa-saṃyutaḥ: possessed of (good) marks/qualities
• lakṣaṇa-saṃyutaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyuta (कृदन्त; √yuj/युज् with सम्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्तः; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator; exact speaker not explicit in excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youthful king stands in a palace court with a great bow and chariot insignia; scholars and ministers nearby; the aura of auspicious marks and generosity suggested through gifts and attendants.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic kingship is measured not only by valor but by śāstra-knowledge, generosity, and auspicious conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it is a character description within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse highlights virtues (guṇas) rather than a rite.