Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

इत्येवं प्रणमन्राजा प्रांजलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । वह्निः प्रशाम्यतां विप्राः शासनं वो ददाम्यहम्

Transliteration

ityevaṃ praṇamanrājā prāṃjalirvākyamabravīt | vahniḥ praśāmyatāṃ viprāḥ śāsanaṃ vo dadāmyaham

Translation

ครั้นก้มกราบแล้ว พระราชาทรงประนมพระหัตถ์ตรัสว่า “ข้าแต่พราหมณ์ทั้งหลาย ขอจงระงับเพลิงนี้ให้สงบเถิด ข้าพเจ้าขอมอบตนอยู่ใต้บัญชาของท่าน และมอบอำนาจให้ท่านทั้งหลาย”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• एवम्: in this manner
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रणमन्: bowing
• प्रणमन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्तः; प्रथमा एकवचनम्, पुल्लिङ्गः; (present active participle)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) एकवचनम्

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलिः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prāñjali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः; प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (with joined palms)

• वाक्यम्: a statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया) एकवचनम्

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/past); परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्

• वह्निः: the fire
• वह्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः; प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• प्रशाम्यताम्: let it be quenched
• प्रशाम्यताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√śam (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative); आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्गः; प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; सम्बोधनार्थे (addressed)

• शासनम्: an order/command
• शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः; द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• वः: to you / your
• वः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम; (enclitic)

• ददामि: I give
• ददामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present); परस्मैपदम्; उत्तमपुरुषः; एकवचनम्

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

Speaker

The King (rājā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king, crown lowered, stands with folded hands before a circle of brāhmaṇas; a fierce sacrificial/forest fire or blazing altar-fire is being ritually calmed; the atmosphere shifts from danger to composure as authority is transferred to the sages.

Characters & Entities

• King (Rājā)
• Brāhmaṇas (Viprāḥ)
• Fire (Vahni)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility before dharma: rightful power is protected when the ruler honors brāhmaṇas and seeks śānti rather than force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Dharmāraṇya sacred region is the setting; the verse emphasizes dharmic order within this holy forest-context rather than naming a separate tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A śānti intention is explicit—pacification of fire (vahni-praśamana), implying appeasement/peace-making rather than aggression.