Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

राज्ञा चैव यतो देयं भृत्यानां भोजनं विभो । तन्ममाचक्ष्व देवेश दयां कृत्वा ममोपरि

Transliteration

rājñā caiva yato deyaṃ bhṛtyānāṃ bhojanaṃ vibho | tanmamācakṣva deveśa dayāṃ kṛtvā mamopari

Translation

اے پروردگار! چونکہ بادشاہ پر لازم ہے کہ اپنے خادموں اور زیرِکفالت لوگوں کو کھانا فراہم کرے، اس لیے اے دیویش! مجھ پر کرم فرما کر یہ بات صاف صاف بتائیے۔

Word by Word

• राज्ञा: by the king
• राज्ञा: Karana/Agent (Instrument/Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• यतः: therefore/for which reason
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतुवाचक/सम्बन्धबोधक (from which/therefore)

• देयम्: (is) to be given
• देयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + देय (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्यय (to be given)

• भृत्यानाम्: of the servants
• भृत्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• भोजनम्: food, feeding
• भोजनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• विभो: O Lord
• विभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• तत्: that (matter)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• मम: to me/of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• आचक्ष्व: tell, explain
• आचक्ष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् ईशः)

• दयाम्: compassion
• दयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having shown/done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + कृत्वा (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having done’

• मम: of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• उपरि: upon, towards
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Reference/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश/अधिकरणवाचक (adverb/postposition: ‘upon/towards’)

Speaker

Unspecified petitioner (listener in the dialogue), addressing Devēśa

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā/Devēśa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The rākṣasa addresses the deity-like elder as Devēśa, emphasizing the king’s obligation to feed dependents; the posture is pleading, with a compassionate, instructive presence opposite him.

Characters & Entities

• Devēśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rulership is a dharmic trust: a king must sustain dependents, and humility before the divine is praised.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya framework; this snippet emphasizes dharma within a pilgrimage narrative rather than naming a single tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A social-dharmic prescription: providing food/maintenance (bhojana-dāna) to servants and dependents.