Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

सदोजिरे च बोद्धारो योद्धारश्चरणाजिरे । न यस्य शास्त्रैर्विजिता न शस्त्रैः केनचित्क्वचित्

Transliteration

sadojire ca boddhāro yoddhāraścaraṇājire | na yasya śāstrairvijitā na śastraiḥ kenacitkvacit

Translation

Ngay trong sân triều của người luôn có bậc hiền trí làm mưu sĩ và những dũng tướng thiện chiến. Dân của người không bị khuất phục bởi śāstra (mưu lược/học thuật) cũng chẳng bởi vũ khí—bởi bất cứ ai, ở bất cứ nơi đâu.

Word by Word

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (always)

• ajire: in the courtyard/arena
• ajire: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• boddhāraḥ: knowers, understanders
• boddhāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: boddhṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √budh (धातु) तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृवाचक

• yoddhāraḥ: fighters, warriors
• yoddhāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoddhṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √yudh (धातु) तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• caraṇa-ajire: in the arena of feet; in the field of movement/footwork
• caraṇa-ajire: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ajira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (चरणानाम् अजिरे / चरण-सम्बद्धे अजिरे)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (negation)

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• śāstraiḥ: by scriptures/strategies
• śāstraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• vijitāḥ: conquered
• vijitāḥ: Kriyā (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vijita (कृदन्त; √ji (धातु) क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त) कर्मणि; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘विजित’ = conquered

• na: nor/not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक

• śastraiḥ: by weapons
• śastraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• kenacit: by anyone
• kenacit: Karta (Agent in passive sense/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

• kvacit: anywhere, ever
• kvacit: Adhikaraṇa (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/कालवाचक (anywhere/ever)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A palace courtyard with two groups: serene, learned counsellors holding manuscripts and prayer beads; vigilant warriors with bows and swords; the king’s realm shown as unconquerable by debate or battle.

Characters & Entities

• Boddhāraḥ (wise)
• Yoddhāraḥ (warriors)
• Śāstra
• Śastra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld when wisdom (śāstra) and strength (śastra) are harmonized, creating a realm resilient to both debate and battle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s glorificatory narrative; it does not identify a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.