Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

वयं हि भवता नित्यं पुत्रवत्परिपालिताः । त्वां विना न प्रवेक्ष्याम पुरीं देवपुरोपमाम्

Transliteration

vayaṃ hi bhavatā nityaṃ putravatparipālitāḥ | tvāṃ vinā na pravekṣyāma purīṃ devapuropamām

Translation

แท้จริงพระองค์ทรงอภิบาลพวกเราดุจบุตรอยู่เสมอ หากปราศจากพระองค์ พวกเราจะไม่ย่างกรายเข้าสู่นครนั้น อันประหนึ่งเทวปุรี

Word by Word

• वयम्: we
• वयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचनम् (Nominative plural)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• भवता: by you
• भवता: Karana (Agent/instrument in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (Instrumental singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसकलिङ्ग-एकवचनम् (adverbial accusative)

• पुत्रवत्: like (your) sons
• पुत्रवत्: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुत्र + वत् (तद्धित; अव्ययवत्)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (like/as)

• परिपालिताः: protected/cared for
• परिपालिताः: Karta (of implied passive/subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + पालित (√पाल् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादानार्थक-अव्यय (preposition: without)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• प्रवेक्ष्यामः: we shall enter
• प्रवेक्ष्यामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल/Future); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• पुरीम्: the city
• पुरीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

• देवपुरोपमाम्: resembling a divine city
• देवपुरोपमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देवपुर + उपमा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचनम्; उपमा-सम्बन्ध (like a city of gods)

Speaker

Ministers (addressing King Śaṅkara/Pāṇḍyanātha)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setu-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ministers address the king with folded hands, declaring he protected them like sons; behind them a radiant cityscape is imagined as devapurī, yet they refuse to enter without him.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Pāṇḍya king)
• ministers
• city (purī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Leadership grounded in care creates dhārmic loyalty; subjects respond with steadfast devotion and solidarity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Setu sacred setting (Setukhaṇḍa), associated with pilgrimage to Setu/Setubandha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse expresses a vow-like resolve of the ministers rather than a formal ritual.