Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

आसीच्चित्ररथोनाम पूर्वं पार्थिवसत्तमः । दशार्णाधिपतिः ख्यातः सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणः

Transliteration

āsīccitrarathonāma pūrvaṃ pārthivasattamaḥ | daśārṇādhipatiḥ khyātaḥ sarvaśatrunibarhaṇaḥ

Translation

Thuở xưa có một bậc minh quân tên là Citraratha, lừng danh là chúa tể xứ Daśārṇa, người diệt trừ mọi kẻ thù.

Word by Word

• आसीत्: there was
• आसीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• चित्ररथः: Citraratha (lit. having a splendid chariot)
• चित्ररथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Appositional marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (particle) नामार्थे (denoting ‘by name’)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम् (Adverb) कालवाचकम्

• पार्थिवसत्तमः: the best of kings
• पार्थिवसत्तमः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); उपाधि/विशेष्य-रूपेण

• दशार्णाधिपतिः: lord of Daśārṇa
• दशार्णाधिपतिः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशार्ण (प्रातिपदिक; देश/जनपद) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• ख्यातः: renowned
• ख्यातः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

• सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणः: destroyer of all enemies
• सर्वशत्रुनिबर्हणः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शत्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + निबर्हण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Deductive (Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrator; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Purāṇic framing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A renowned king, Citraratha, is introduced in courtly splendor—crown, sword, and attendants—yet with a devotional gaze toward a distant Devī shrine, foreshadowing pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Citraratha
• Daśārṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a powerful king becomes truly 'excellent' in Purāṇic ethics when his strength is aligned with dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the devotee-king within the Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya setting; the specific goddess-site is developed in the following verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it functions as narrative introduction (king, lineage, fame).