Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

प्रजाविरहितो राजा कोशदुर्गबलादिभिः । समृद्धोप्यचिरान्नश्येत्कूलसंस्थ इव द्रुमः

Transliteration

prajāvirahito rājā kośadurgabalādibhiḥ | samṛddhopyacirānnaśyetkūlasaṃstha iva drumaḥ

Translation

ప్రజలు లేని రాజు, కోశం-దుర్గం-సైన్యం మొదలైన వాటితో సమృద్ధుడైనా, త్వరలోనే నశిస్తాడు—కూలుతున్న నది ఒడ్డున నిలిచిన చెట్టువలె।

Word by Word

• प्रजाविरहितः: devoid of subjects
• प्रजाविरहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रजा + विरहित (कृदन्त; वि-√रह्/√हृ (धातु) + क्त/निष्ठा; प्रचलित प्रातिपदिक: विरहित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (प्रजया विरहितः) विशेषण

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कोशदुर्गबलादिभिः: by treasury, forts, army, etc.
• कोशदुर्गबलादिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोश + दुर्ग + बल + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार-द्वन्द्व), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (कोश-दुर्ग-बल-आदि)

• समृद्धः: prosperous
• समृद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समृद्ध (कृदन्त; सम्-√ऋध् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) विशेषण

• अपि: even (if)
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपवादार्थक अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• अचिरात्: soon
• अचिरात्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अचिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial ablative: soon)

• नश्येत्: would perish
• नश्येत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कूलसंस्थः: standing on a riverbank
• कूलसंस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूल + संस्थ (कृदन्त; सम्-√स्था (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कूले संस्थः) विशेषण

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमार्थक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• द्रुमः: a tree
• द्रुमः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Gaṅgā-taṭa)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A strong tree on a riverbank with soil collapsing into the current; nearby, a fortified city and armed troops appear useless as the ground gives way—symbolizing prajā-less kingship.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king)
• Prajā (subjects)
• Kośa (treasury)
• Durga (fort)
• Bala (army)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power structures cannot replace dharmic care for people; neglect of subjects leads to inevitable downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No direct tīrtha reference; it is an ethical maxim situated within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a political-ethical teaching framed in Purāṇic dharma.