Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

एवं स धर्मतो राजा पालयामास मेदिनीम् । रक्षतस्तस्य राज्ञोऽभूद्राज्यं निहत कंटकम्

Transliteration

evaṃ sa dharmato rājā pālayāmāsa medinīm | rakṣatastasya rājño'bhūdrājyaṃ nihata kaṃṭakam

Translation

ดังนั้นพระราชาจึงทรงปกครองแผ่นดินตามธรรมะ ครั้นทรงพิทักษ์อาณาจักรของพระองค์แล้ว ราชอาณาจักรก็ปราศจาก “หนาม” คือความเดือดร้อนและการกดขี่ทั้งปวงถูกทำลายสิ้น

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• धर्मतः: righteously; according to dharma
• धर्मतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्ययम् (ablatival adverb: 'according to/from dharma')

• राजा: king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• पालयामास: protected/ruled
• पालयामास: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Periphrastic perfect/परस्मैपदम्), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• मेदिनीम्: the earth
• मेदिनीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (singular)

• रक्षतः: while he was protecting
• रक्षतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्तः (present active participle), पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्; अर्थः: 'while protecting/of (him) protecting'

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम्

• अभूत्: became/was
• अभूत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (singular)

• निहत: destroyed; removed
• निहत: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि+हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• कण्टकम्: thorn; obstacle
• कण्टकम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचनम् (singular); उपमेय-रूपकः (metaphoric 'thorn' = trouble)

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu/Setubandha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king seated in open court beneath a canopy, dispensing justice; outside, fields flourish and travelers move safely—symbolizing a realm ‘without thorns’.

Characters & Entities

• The dharmic king (unnamed in snippet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When rulership follows dharma, society becomes free from suffering and injustice—peace is a fruit of righteousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setu Khaṇḍa frame relates to Setubandha/Rāmeśvaram, but this verse highlights ideal kingship rather than a single tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the king’s dharmic protection as the ‘practice’ that yields social harmony.