Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

साधूनां पालनं कृत्वा निग्रहाय दुरात्मनाम् । एवमन्यानि कर्म्माणि श्रुतानि च धरातले

Transliteration

sādhūnāṃ pālanaṃ kṛtvā nigrahāya durātmanām | evamanyāni karmmāṇi śrutāni ca dharātale

Translation

Nachdem er die Frommen beschützt und die Übeltäter gezügelt hatte, werden auf Erden noch viele andere solche Taten von ihm vernommen.

Word by Word

• साधूनाम्: of the good (people)
• साधूनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• पालनम्: protection
• पालनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पालन (प्रातिपदिक; √पाल् (धातु) से भाव/कर्म-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular)

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• निग्रहाय: for restraining
• निग्रहाय: सम्प्रदान (Purpose/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th); एकवचन (Singular)

• दुरात्मनाम्: of the wicked-minded
• दुरात्मनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुरात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• अन्यानि: other
• अन्यानि: विशेषण (Qualifier of कर्म्माणि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); बहुवचन (Plural)

• कर्म्माणि: deeds
• कर्म्माणि: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); बहुवचन (Plural)

• श्रुतानि: heard
• श्रुतानि: विशेषण/कर्मविशेषण (Predicate/qualifier of कर्म्माणि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• धरातले: on the earth’s surface
• धरातले: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरातल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th); एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrator within Dharmāraṇya Māhātmya (contextual; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing a listener)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharmic protector-figure stands between peaceful sages and threatening wicked beings, offering shelter to the righteous while restraining aggressors; the earth as witness to famed deeds.

Characters & Entities

• Sādhus
• Wicked-doers (durātmānaḥ)
• Rāma (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld by protecting the righteous and restraining wrongdoing—this is the hallmark of ideal conduct and governance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Dharmāraṇya māhātmya context rather than naming a specific sub-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual prescription; it emphasizes ethical duty (pālana and nigraha) as dharma.