Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 38
Devanagari script
ये पास्यंति महीभुजः क्षितिमिमां यास्यंति भुक्त्वाखिलां नो याता न तु याति यास्यति न वा केनापि सार्द्धं धरा । यत्किंचिद्भुवि तद्विनाशि सकलं कीर्तिः परं स्थायिनी त्वेवं वै वसुधापि यैरुपकृता लोप्या न सत्कीर्तयः
Transliteration
ye pāsyaṃti mahībhujaḥ kṣitimimāṃ yāsyaṃti bhuktvākhilāṃ no yātā na tu yāti yāsyati na vā kenāpi sārddhaṃ dharā | yatkiṃcidbhuvi tadvināśi sakalaṃ kīrtiḥ paraṃ sthāyinī tvevaṃ vai vasudhāpi yairupakṛtā lopyā na satkīrtayaḥ
Translation
กษัตริย์ทั้งหลายอาจพิทักษ์แผ่นดินนี้ และเมื่อเสวยสุขจนทั่วแล้วก็จากไป; แต่ธรณีไม่เคยไปกับผู้ใด—ไม่กับผู้ที่ไปแล้ว ไม่กับผู้ที่กำลังไป และไม่กับผู้ที่จะไป. สิ่งใด ๆ บนโลกย่อมเสื่อมสลายทั้งหมด; มีเพียงเกียรติคุณ (กีรติ) เท่านั้นที่ดำรงยั่งยืนสูงสุด. เพราะฉะนั้น สัตกีรติของผู้ที่เกื้อกูลวสุธาย่อมไม่อาจลบเลือนได้.
Word by Word
yewho (those who)
ye:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)
pāsyantiwill protect
pāsyanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpā (धाातु)
Formलृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (3rd person plural)
mahībhujaḥkings (earth-rulers)
mahībhujaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahī (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Nominative, Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mahīyāḥ bhujaḥ = 'arm of the earth')
kṣitimthe earth
kṣitim:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkṣiti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)
imāmthis
imām:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootidam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Feminine, Accusative, Singular); विशेषणम्
yāsyantiwill go (depart)
yāsyanti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootyā (धाातु)
Formलृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (3rd person plural)
bhuktvāhaving enjoyed/consumed
bhuktvā:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbhuj (धाातु)
Formक्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (Gerund/Absolutive)
akhilāmentire
akhilām:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootakhila (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Feminine, Accusative, Singular); विशेषणम् (kṣitim)
nonot
no:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)
yātāḥ(they) having gone / gone
yātāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeVerb
Rootyā (धाातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्तः भूतकर्मणि/भूतकाले कृदन्तः; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Past participle, Masc. Nom. Pl.)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)
tubut
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण/विरोधार्थक-अव्ययम् (but/indeed)
yātigoes
yāti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootyā (धाातु)
Formलट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)
yāsyatiwill go
yāsyati:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootyā (धाातु)
Formलृट्-लकारः (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (3rd person singular)
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negative particle)
vāor
vā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvā (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (or)
kenaby whom/with whom
kena:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (Instrumental Singular)
apieven/any
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कारक-अव्ययम् (even/also/any)
sārddhamtogether with
sārddham:
Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsārddham (अव्यय)
Formसहार्थक-अव्ययम् (with; governs instrumental)
dharāthe earth
dharā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdharā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)
yatwhatever
yat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neuter Nom./Acc. Singular)
kiṃcitanything
kiṃcit:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)
bhuvion earth/in the world
bhuvi:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootbhuvi/bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे सप्तमी एकवचनम् (Feminine, Locative, Singular)
tatthat
tat:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neuter Nom./Acc. Singular)
vināśiperishable
vināśi:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvināśin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neuter Nom./Acc. Singular); विशेषणम् (tad)
sakalaṃall, entire
sakalaṃ:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsakala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (Neuter Nom./Acc. Singular); विशेषणम्
kīrtiḥfame
kīrtiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootkīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)
paramsupreme, highest
param:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषणम् (kīrtiḥ)
sthāyinīlasting, enduring
sthāyinī:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsthāyinī (प्रातिपदिक) < sthā (धाातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषणम् (kīrtiḥ)
tuindeed
tu:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअवधारण/विरोधार्थक-अव्ययम् (but/indeed)
evamthus
evam:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (thus)
vaiindeed
vai:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootvai (अव्यय)
Formनिश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (indeed)
vasudhāthe earth
vasudhā:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvasudhā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)
apialso
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (also)
yaiḥby whom
yaiḥ:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
Formपुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम् (Masculine, Instrumental, Plural)
upakṛtābenefited, helped
upakṛtā:
Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-kṛ (धाातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्तः कर्मणि कृदन्तः; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम् (Past passive participle, Fem. Nom. Sg.)
lopyāḥto be erased/destroyed
lopyāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootlopya (प्रातिपदिक) < lup (धाातु)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Plural); विधेय-विशेषणम्
nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (not)
satkīrtayaḥgood reputations/fames
satkīrtayaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsat (प्रातिपदिक) + kīrti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम् (Feminine, Nominative, Plural); कर्मधारयः (sat-kīrtayaḥ = 'good fame')
Speaker
Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A contemplative king stands before the vast earth/mandala, with fading symbols of power (crown, treasury) contrasted against an inscribed pillar of enduring fame; sages gesture toward dharma as the only lasting legacy.
Characters & Entities
M
Mahībhuj (Kings)FAQs
Possessions and rule are temporary; only dharmic fame endures—earned by protecting and benefitting the earth.
No single tīrtha is named; the verse presents a universal rāja-dharma reflection.
No specific rite is prescribed; the practical injunction is to protect the earth and act for public good, securing lasting kīrti.