Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

यत्रस्थः स महीपालः सत्यसंधस्तपोन्वितः । शोकोद्विग्नास्ततः प्राहुस्तं भूपं रहसि स्थितम्

Transliteration

yatrasthaḥ sa mahīpālaḥ satyasaṃdhastaponvitaḥ | śokodvignāstataḥ prāhustaṃ bhūpaṃ rahasi sthitam

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น พระมหากษัตริย์ผู้พิทักษ์แผ่นดิน ผู้มั่นคงในสัจจะและประกอบตบะ ได้ประทับอยู่ ครั้นพวกเขาถูกความโศกครอบงำ จึงกราบทูลอย่างลับ ๆ แด่พระภูปะผู้ประทับในที่สงัด

Word by Word

• यत्रस्थः: being there / stationed there
• यत्रस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय) + स्थ (धातु √स्था) → यत्रस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (भूतकृदन्त-निष्ठा/क्त) ‘स्थितः’ अर्थे

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• महीपालः: king (protector of the earth)
• महीपालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मही + पाल)

• सत्यसंधः: true to his pledge
• सत्यसंधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्यसंध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सत्यः संधः यस्य)

• तपोन्वितः: endowed with austerity
• तपोन्वितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त, √इ ‘गमन’/अन्वि- ‘युक्त’) → तपोऽन्वित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; कृदन्त-विशेषण (अन्वित = युक्त)

• शोक-उद्विग्नाः: distressed with grief
• शोक-उद्विग्नाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्विग्न (कृदन्त, √विज्/√विग् ‘उद्वेग’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शोकेन उद्विग्नाः)

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (तस्मात्/तदनन्तरम्)

• प्राहुः: they said
• प्राहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भूपम्: king
• भूपम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• रहसि: in private / secretly
• रहसि: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (locative used adverbially)

• स्थितम्: standing / situated
• स्थितम्: Karman (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grief-stricken council approaches a truth-bound ascetic king seated alone in a forest hermitage near a sacred water/temple precinct; the king is calm yet burdened, the envoys anxious and pleading.

Characters & Entities

• King (mahīpāla/bhūpa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even an austere, truth-bound ruler must face worldly duties; private renunciation is tested when public welfare is at stake.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse does not name a tīrtha; it continues the chapter’s tīrtha-linked royal narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is referenced as the king’s practice, though no specific rite is detailed.