Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

मया रक्षा विधातव्या धर्मस्य परिपालने । तत्सत्यं तु त्वयोक्तं हि किं तु तस्य व्यतिक्रमः

Transliteration

mayā rakṣā vidhātavyā dharmasya paripālane | tatsatyaṃ tu tvayoktaṃ hi kiṃ tu tasya vyatikramaḥ

Translation

Den Schutz zur Bewahrung des Dharma muss in der Tat ich gewähren. Was du gesagt hast, ist wahr — doch wie könnte es einen Verstoß gegen eben diesen Dharma geben?

Word by Word

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देशः (by me)

• रक्षा: protection
• रक्षा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विधातव्या: must be done/arranged
• विधातव्या: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-धा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (obligative), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मस्य: of dharma
• धर्मस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• परिपालने: in safeguarding/maintaining
• परिपालने: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि-पालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण (in the act of safeguarding)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (that)

• सत्यम्: true
• सत्यम्: Pratijna/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग-प्रयोगः, तृतीया, एकवचन (by you)

• उक्तम्: said
• उक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'said'

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (reason/emphasis)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Question/प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (contrast)

• तस्य: of that; of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of that/of him)

• व्यतिक्रमः: transgression; violation
• व्यतिक्रमः: Karta/Topic (Subject/topic/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यति-क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Madhusūdana speaks with calm authority: he accepts the duty to protect dharma, yet raises a pointed doubt—how can one protect a rite that itself violates dharma? Dakṣa’s face shows irritation and pride.

Characters & Entities

• Madhusūdana (Viṣṇu)
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True protection of ritual is ultimately protection of Dharma; divine guardianship questions actions that contradict dharma itself.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa provides the sacred setting, but the verse is doctrinal rather than geographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The duty of providing protection (rakṣā) in the maintenance of dharma is affirmed.