Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

आर्यवृत्तास्तु विज्ञेया द्विजशुश्रूषणे रताः । बहुलार्को नृपो यत्र संज्ञया सह राजते

Transliteration

āryavṛttāstu vijñeyā dvijaśuśrūṣaṇe ratāḥ | bahulārko nṛpo yatra saṃjñayā saha rājate

Translation

அவர்களை ஆரிய நெறியுடையோர் என அறிக; இருமுறை பிறந்தோரின் சேவையில் மகிழ்வோர் அவர்கள். அங்கு ‘பஹுலார்க’ எனப் பெயருடைய அரசன் ஒளியுடன் சிறந்து ஆள்கிறான்.

Word by Word

• आर्यवृत्ताः: noble people / those of noble conduct
• आर्यवृत्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य-वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक; आर्य + वृत्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आर्याणां वृत्ताः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• विज्ञेयाः: to be known/recognized
• विज्ञेयाः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + वि; कृदन्त-प्रत्ययः—तव्यत् (विज्ञेय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भावे विधेय-विशेषणम् (to be known)

• द्विजशुश्रूषणे: in service to the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजशुश्रूषणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + शुश्रूषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (द्विजानां शुश्रूषणम्)

• रताः: devoted/engaged
• रताः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक; √रम् धातु-निष्पन्न)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (आर्यवृत्ताः)

• बहुलार्कः: Bahulārka (a king’s name)
• बहुलार्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहुल-अर्क (प्रातिपदिक; बहुल + अर्क)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (बहुलः अर्कः यस्य/बहुलः अर्कः)

• नृपः: king
• नृपः: Karta (Subject apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुलार्कस्य अप्पोजिशन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-सम्बन्ध (relative adverb: where)

• संज्ञया: by name / as a designation
• संज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सह: with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-उपपद (with)

• राजते: shines/is resplendent
• राजते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Śrī Mātā (context continues)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (standard Sūta frame; not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dhārmic city/settlement at the edge of a sacred forest: Brahmins engaged in teaching and ritual, townsfolk serving respectfully, and King Bahulārka seated in a modest yet radiant court.

Characters & Entities

• dvija
• Bahulārka (king)
• ārya-vṛtta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Noble society and righteous kingship are measured by reverence and service toward the learned and virtuous (dvijas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is glorified as a realm of ārya-vṛtta (noble conduct) under a named righteous ruler.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is stated; the practical dharma emphasized is dvija-śuśrūṣā—support and service to the learned.