Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

भ्रातृभिः सह राजेंद्र धर्मेषु रमते मनः । दारैः पुत्रैश्च भृत्यैश्च कुशलैर्गजवाजिभिः

Transliteration

bhrātṛbhiḥ saha rājeṃdra dharmeṣu ramate manaḥ | dāraiḥ putraiśca bhṛtyaiśca kuśalairgajavājibhiḥ

Translation

ఓ రాజేంద్రా, సోదరులతో కలిసి నీ మనస్సు ధర్మంలో రమిస్తున్నదా? భార్యలు, కుమారులు, సేవకులతో పాటు—కుశలమైన ఏనుగులు, గుర్రాలతో కూడ—అన్నీ మంగళమా?

Word by Word

• भ्रातृभिः: with brothers
• भ्रातृभिः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक उपसर्ग/निपात (preposition-like: with)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—राज्ञां इन्द्रः (king of kings)

• धर्मेषु: in dharmas, in righteous duties
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• रमते: delights, takes pleasure
• रमते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दारैः: with wives
• दारैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• पुत्रैः: with sons
• पुत्रैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

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

• भृत्यैः: with servants
• भृत्यैः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

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

• कुशलैः: healthy, well-trained
• कुशलैः: Sahakaraka (Association qualifier/सह)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of gajavājibhiḥ)

• गजवाजिभिः: with elephants and horses
• गजवाजिभिः: Sahakaraka (Association/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज + वाजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः—गजाश्च वाजिनश्च (with elephants and horses)

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada’s benevolent inquiry expands to the whole royal ecosystem: brothers, wives, sons, attendants, and the health of elephants and horses—signs of stable righteous rule.

Characters & Entities

• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Brothers (Pāṇḍavas implied)
• Household (wives/sons/servants)
• Elephants
• Horses

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous kingship includes moral joy in dharma and the well-being of family, servants, and the resources that sustain the kingdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse focuses on the dharmic health of a ruler’s life and realm.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an inquiry establishing the standards of welfare in kṣatriya and household dharma.