Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

दुःखेन महता युक्तो लज्जयाऽधोमुखः स्थितः । आमंत्र्याथ सहस्राक्षं गत्वाऽयोध्यां निजां पुरीम् । अमात्यानां निजं राज्यमर्पयामास सत्वरः

Transliteration

duḥkhena mahatā yukto lajjayā'dhomukhaḥ sthitaḥ | āmaṃtryātha sahasrākṣaṃ gatvā'yodhyāṃ nijāṃ purīm | amātyānāṃ nijaṃ rājyamarpayāmāsa satvaraḥ

Translation

เขาถูกความทุกข์ใหญ่ครอบงำ ยืนก้มหน้าด้วยความละอาย แล้วจึงล่ำลาพระสหัสรเนตร (พระอินทร์) จากนั้นไปยังนครอโยธยาของตน และรีบมอบราชอาณาจักรแก่เสนาบดีทั้งหลาย

Word by Word

• दुःखेन: with sorrow
• दुःखेन: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by/with sorrow)

• महता: great
• महता: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with दुःखेन; Instrumental singular (great)

• युक्तः: afflicted/connected
• युक्तः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Predicate adjective of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle) ‘joined/afflicted’

• लज्जया: with shame
• लज्जया: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (with shame)

• अधोमुखः: down-faced
• अधोमुखः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: ‘अधः मुखं यस्य’/‘अधोमुख’ = face-down

• स्थितः: stood/remained
• स्थितः: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) ‘standing/remaining’

• आमंत्र्य: having invited/addressed
• आमंत्र्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + मन्त्र् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-रूप (absolutive/gerund) ‘having invited/addressed’

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereupon)

• सहस्राक्षम्: the thousand-eyed (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘सहस्राणि अक्षाणि यस्य’ = Indra; Accusative singular (object of addressing)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive) ‘having gone’

• अयोध्याम्: to Ayodhyā
• अयोध्याम्: कर्म (Goal/गन्तव्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयोध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (destination)

• निजाम्: his own
• निजाम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with पुरीम्; Accusative singular (own)

• पुरीम्: city
• पुरीम्: कर्म (Goal/apposition to Ayodhyā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (city)

• अमात्यानाम्: of the ministers
• अमात्यानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/recipient group)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of ministers)

• निजम्: his own
• निजम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; agrees with राज्यम्; Accusative singular (own)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (thing handed over)

• अर्पयामास: handed over
• अर्पयामास: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्पय् (धातु, णिजन्त)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; causative stem ‘caused to be given/handed over’

• सत्वरः: hastily
• सत्वरः: कर्तृ-विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण (Manner)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adverbial usage ‘quickly/in haste’ as subject-qualifier

Speaker

Narrator (reporting Daśaratha’s reaction and actions)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humbled king, head bowed in shame, takes leave of Indra and returns to Ayodhyā; in the palace court he entrusts the kingdom to ministers, signaling withdrawal from worldly power.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Sahasrākṣa)
• King Daśaratha
• Ayodhyā
• Amātyas (ministers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True contrition leads to decisive dharmic action; realizing a deficiency, the king humbles himself and rearranges life for higher duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā is mentioned as Daśaratha’s city, though the verse itself is narrative rather than direct tīrtha praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is described; the verse depicts a practical dharmic step—delegating governance—preparatory to pursuing the advised religious objective.