Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कृत्वा करपुटं राजा ऋषीणां पुण्यकर्मणाम् । बभाषे वचनं राजा भद्रो भद्रं सुसंगतम्

Transliteration

kṛtvā karapuṭaṃ rājā ṛṣīṇāṃ puṇyakarmaṇām | babhāṣe vacanaṃ rājā bhadro bhadraṃ susaṃgatam

Translation

พระราชาทรงประนมพระหัตถ์นอบน้อมต่อเหล่าฤๅษีผู้ประกอบกุศล แล้วตรัสถ้อยคำอันเป็นมงคล งดงาม เหมาะควร และสอดคล้องยิ่ง

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिकक्रिया

• करपुटम्: folded hands (hand-cup gesture)
• करपुटम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara+puṭa (प्रातिपदिक); components: kara (कर=हस्त) + puṭa (पुट)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'करयोः पुटः' इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• ऋषीणाम्: of the sages
• ऋषीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पुण्यकर्मणाम्: of those whose deeds are meritorious
• पुण्यकर्मणाम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya+karma (प्रातिपदिक); components: puṇya (पुण्य) + karman (कर्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; 'पुण्यं कर्म येषाम्' इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थेऽपि सम्भवः, परन्तु रूपतः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('पुण्यकर्मणाम्' = पुण्यकर्मणः); 'ऋषीणाम्' इति विशेषणम्

• बभाषे: spoke
• बभाषे: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्त-कर्ता

• भद्रः: auspicious/good
• भद्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'राजा' इति विशेषणम्

• भद्रम्: good/auspicious (thing)
• भद्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; 'वचनम्' इति विशेषणवत् (good speech)

• सुसंगतम्: well-suited/appropriate
• सुसंगतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su+saṃgata (प्रातिपदिक); components: su (सु) + saṃgata (संगत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः ('सु' उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण); 'वचनम्/भद्रम्' इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (introducing the king’s reverent address)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king stands with folded hands (añjali) before seated sages; his face is calm and respectful as he begins an auspicious address.

Characters & Entities

• ṛṣi (sages)
• Bhadra (name appears)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True sovereignty is guided by humility—rulers uphold dharma by honoring sages and speaking auspicious, appropriate words.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to Vastrāpatha-kṣetra within Prabhāsa; the verse focuses on conduct within the sacred narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Añjali (folded hands) as a gesture of reverence toward sages is implied as proper dhārmic conduct.