Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

राजोवाच । लोकानां हितकामेन मयैतद्व्रतमाहृतम् । येन तेषां भवेत्सौख्यं मत्प्रसादादनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

rājovāca | lokānāṃ hitakāmena mayaitadvratamāhṛtam | yena teṣāṃ bhavetsaukhyaṃ matprasādādanuttamam

Translation

พระราชาตรัสว่า: “ด้วยความปรารถนาจะเกื้อกูลสรรพชน ข้าพเจ้าได้ถือวรตนี้ เพื่อให้พวกเขาได้บรรลุความสุขอันยอดยิ่งโดยอาศัยพระกรุณาของข้าพเจ้า”

Word by Word

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• लोकानाम्: of the people/worlds
• लोकानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• हितकामेन: desiring their welfare
• हितकामेन: Karana/Hetu (Cause/Instrumental)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (हितस्य कामः)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (व्रतम्)

• व्रतम्: vow
• व्रतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आहृतम्: was undertaken/brought
• आहृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√हृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘brought/undertaken’

• येन: by which
• येन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; हेतु/साधनार्थे

• तेषाम्: for them/of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• भवेत्: may there be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सौख्यम्: happiness
• सौख्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मत्प्रसादात्: from my grace/favor
• मत्प्रसादात्: Apadana (Source/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद् (सर्वनाम-आधारित) + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मम प्रसादः)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सौख्यम्)

Speaker

Rājā (the king/devotee)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, humble before the Goddess, declares his altruistic intent; behind him, citizens or symbolic figures (farmers, sages, children) appear as the beneficiaries; the Goddess listens with approving calm.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (King)
• Loka (people/subjects)
• Vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest kingship is lokahita: using spiritual merit and divine favor for the welfare of one’s subjects.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vow and boon-request unfold within the Hāṭakeśvara–Caṇḍikā kṣetra narrative of this chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse references the king’s undertaken vrata; details of the observance appear in surrounding verses (discipline, bathing, worship).