Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

कूटशासनकर्तारः कूटयुद्धकराश्च ये । निर्दयोऽतीव भृत्येषु पशूनां दमनश्च यः

Transliteration

kūṭaśāsanakartāraḥ kūṭayuddhakarāśca ye | nirdayo'tīva bhṛtyeṣu paśūnāṃ damanaśca yaḥ

Translation

যারা কপটপূর্ণ শাসন-আদেশ রচনা করে এবং ছলযুক্ত যুদ্ধ ঘটায়; যারা দাস-পরিচারকদের প্রতি অতিশয় নির্দয়; এবং যারা পশুদের দমন ও পীড়ন করে—তারা ধর্মসম্মত ব্যবস্থার বিরোধী।

Word by Word

• कूट: false; deceitful
• कूट: Qualifier (समास-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• शासन: orders/punishment
• शासन: Qualifier (समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• कर्तारः: makers/issuers
• कर्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘कूटशासनकर्तारः’ = कूटशासनस्य कर्तारः

• कूट: false
• कूट: Qualifier (समास-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• युद्ध: war
• युद्ध: Qualifier (समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• कराः: doers/perpetrators
• कराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘कूटयुद्धकराः’ = कूटयुद्धस्य कर्तारः

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• निर्दयः: merciless
• निर्दयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्दय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यः)

• अतीव: excessively
• अतीव: Modifier (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (intensifier)

• भृत्येषु: towards/among servants
• भृत्येषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• पशूनाम्: of animals
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• दमनः: one who subdues; oppression
• दमनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘यः’ इत्यस्य विधेय/समनाधिकरण

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• यः: he who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ruler’s court: a just king rejects a deceitful ordinance; in another vignette, a cruel master strikes a servant and torments animals, contrasted with compassionate protection—servants cared for and animals gently handled.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma rejects cruelty and deceit—whether in governance, conflict, or treatment of dependents and animals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is named; the verse is a general dharma-teaching passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual prescription appears; it is a moral warning.