Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

प्रतिघातविदस्तेषां योजयेद्धर्मवत्सलान् । दिव्यानां स्तभकाञ्ज्ञात्वा पापान्नित्यं महीपतिः

Transliteration

pratighātavidasteṣāṃ yojayeddharmavatsalān | divyānāṃ stabhakāñjñātvā pāpānnityaṃ mahīpatiḥ

Translation

Der König soll dharma-liebende Fachkundige einsetzen, die die Gegenmittel gegen jene kennen. Nachdem der Herr des Landes die Sünder erkannt hat, die die göttlichen Ordalien behindern, soll er fortwährend gegen sie vorgehen.

Word by Word

• pratighāta-vidaḥ: knowers of counter-measures
• pratighāta-vidaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratighāta (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (विद्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रतिघातस्य विदः = knowing counter-measures)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• yojayet: should appoint/engage
• yojayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yuj (युज्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• dharma-vatsalān: devoted to dharma
• dharma-vatsalān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + vatsala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मे वत्सलः) — qualifying the appointed persons

• divyānām: of the divine (ones)
• divyānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (स्तभकानाम्)

• stabhakān: paralyzers/obstructors
• stabhakān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stabhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• jñātvā: having identified/known
• jñātvā: Kriya (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (ज्ञा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालः (having known)

• pāpān: the sinners/evil-doers
• pāpān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverb: always)

• mahīpatiḥ: the king
• mahīpatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahīpati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) speaking to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king confers with a circle of austere, dharma-loving experts holding śāstra scrolls and protective implements; they demonstrate counter-rites to dispel a dark spell hovering over an ordeal altar; guards seize identified offenders.

Characters & Entities

• mahīpati (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler protects dharma by empowering the righteous and restraining those who corrupt sacred or judicial processes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the focus is on royal duty and social protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Engaging dharma-aligned experts to counteract and identify those who ‘stambha’ (obstruct) divine ordeals, and taking continual action against them.