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

“جب تک رعایا قائم رہے، اتنی ہی مدت تک، اے وبھیषण! اس عظیم سلطنت کا انتظام کرو؛ تم ہی لنکا پر حکومت کرو گے اور اس کی حفاظت کرو گے۔”

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.