Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 125

Devanagari script

यावत्प्रजा धरिष्यंति तावदेव विभीषण । कारयस्व महद्राज्यं लंकां त्वं पालयिष्यसि

Transliteration

yāvatprajā dhariṣyaṃti tāvadeva vibhīṣaṇa | kārayasva mahadrājyaṃ laṃkāṃ tvaṃ pālayiṣyasi

Translation

“ตราบใดที่ประชาราษฎร์ยังดำรงอยู่ ตราบนั้นแล โอ้พิเภก จงบริหารราชอาณาจักรอันยิ่งใหญ่นี้; เจ้าจักครองและพิทักษ์ลังกา”

Word by Word

• यावत्: as long as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Temporal correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/सम्बन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्-तावत् सम्बन्धे (correlative: as long as)

• प्रजाः: subjects / people
• प्रजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• धरिष्यन्ति: will endure / will remain
• धरिष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future); प्रथम-पुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तावत्: so long
• तावत्: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तावत् (so long/that long)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic/only)

• विभीषण: O Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषण: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-एकवचन (Vocative singular)

• कारयस्व: have (it) administered / cause to be governed
• कारयस्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कारय (णिच्-प्रयोजक)
• Form: लोट् (imperative); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; णिच् (causative: cause to be done)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular); विशेषण (qualifying राज्यं)

• राज्यम्: kingdom
• राज्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• लङ्काम्: Laṅkā
• लङ्काम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• पालयिष्यसि: will protect / will rule
• पालयिष्यसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future); मध्यम-पुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Rāma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-kṣetra (narrative locus) / Laṅkā (referenced realm)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma, composed and authoritative, addresses Vibhīṣaṇa: administer the great kingdom; protect Laṅkā for as long as the people endure—an image of calm transfer of responsibility.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Laṅkā
• Prajā (subjects)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous rule is service—protecting subjects and maintaining order is a sacred duty entrusted by the Lord.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā remains the narrative center, while Laṅkā appears as a dharma-governed kingdom under Vibhīṣaṇa’s stewardship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it is a rājadharma injunction—govern well and protect the people.