Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

निजौरसेभ्योप्यधिकं रात्रिंदिवमतंद्रितम् । विनिर्जित्य हठाद्दुष्टान्प्रजेयं परिपालिता

Transliteration

nijaurasebhyopyadhikaṃ rātriṃdivamataṃdritam | vinirjitya haṭhādduṣṭānprajeyaṃ paripālitā

Translation

“ยิ่งกว่าบุตรของตนเอง ข้าพเจ้าได้พิทักษ์แว่นแคว้นนี้ทั้งกลางคืนและกลางวันโดยไม่ประมาท ครั้นปราบคนชั่วด้วยความเด็ดขาดแล้ว ข้าพเจ้าได้คุ้มครองประชาราษฎร์”

Word by Word

• निज: one's own
• निज: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (औरसेभ्यः)

• औरसेभ्यः: from (my) own sons
• औरसेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-समुच्चय/अवधारण (even/also)

• अधिकम्: more/excessively
• अधिकम्: Kriya-visheshana (Extent/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक, क्रियाविशेषणवत्

• रात्रिम्: night
• रात्रिम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावे इव कालवाचक

• दिवम्: day
• दिवम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालवाचक

• अतन्द्रितम्: without laziness, untiringly
• अतन्द्रितम्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (नञ्) + तन्द्रित (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: नञ्-समासपूर्वक भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्

• विनिर्जित्य: having conquered
• विनिर्जित्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-निर्-जि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• हठात्: by force
• हठात्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): बलात्/हठेन

• दुष्टान्: the wicked (people)
• दुष्टान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) प्रयुक्तः संज्ञावत्, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• प्रजा: the subjects
• प्रजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• परिपालिता: was protected/ruled
• परिपालिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-पाल् (धातु) → परिपालित (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय (प्रजा इयम्)

Speaker

Rājā (King)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king recounts guarding the realm day and night, defeating wicked foes, and caring for subjects like (or more than) his own sons; the sage listens, inviting deeper evaluation.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kṣatra-dharma emphasizes vigilant protection of subjects; duty performed fully still may not satisfy the deeper need for spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśī narrative frame continues, but the verse itself does not name a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes governance and protection as duty.