Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

आसीन्मद्रेषु धर्मात्मा सर्वभूतहिते रतः । पार्थिवोऽश्वपतिर्नाम पौरजानपद प्रियः

Transliteration

āsīnmadreṣu dharmātmā sarvabhūtahite rataḥ | pārthivo'śvapatirnāma paurajānapada priyaḥ

Translation

Tại xứ Madra có một vị vua hiền đức tên Aśvapati, luôn tận tâm vì lợi ích của muôn loài, được dân thành thị lẫn thôn quê đều kính mến.

Word by Word

• āsīt: was
• āsīt: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• madreṣu: among/in the Madras (country/people)
• madreṣu: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• dharmātmā: a righteous-souled one
• dharmātmā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• sarvabhūtahite: in the welfare of all beings
• sarvabhūtahite: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-bhūta-hita (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + भूत + हित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• rataḥ: devoted, engaged
• rataḥ: Karta-anvaya (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (प्रातिपदिक; √ram/√rañj-निष्ठा/कृदन्त-प्रयोग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम् (adjective)

• pārthivaḥ: a king
• pārthivaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• aśvapatiḥ: Aśvapati (lord of horses; name)
• aśvapatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśva-pati (प्रातिपदिक; अश्व + पति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha/Name-marker (नामनिर्देशक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; नाम-शब्दः (indeclinable used to indicate ‘by name’)

• paura-jānapada-priyaḥ: dear to townsmen and countryfolk
• paura-jānapada-priyaḥ: Karta-anvaya (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paura-jānapada-priya (प्रातिपदिक; पौर + जानपद + प्रिय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचनम् (singular); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A righteous king Aśvapati in Madra-land, shown in a court scene with townsfolk and villagers expressing affection; the mood is orderly, dharmic governance preceding a sacred journey.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvapati
• Madra (country/people)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-centered rulership is defined by compassion and public welfare, making the king beloved and spiritually fit for tīrtha-acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sets the narrative background; Prabhāsa Kṣetra remains the central tīrtha of the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly here; it introduces the dharmic king who will later undertake pilgrimage and vow.