Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 184

Devanagari script

दुर्वृत्तानां स हरति वृत्तस्थानां प्रयच्छति । अनुशास्ति च भूतानि कार्येषु बलवत्तरः

Transliteration

durvṛttānāṃ sa harati vṛttasthānāṃ prayacchati | anuśāsti ca bhūtāni kāryeṣu balavattaraḥ

Translation

“From the ill-conducted he takes away (their power and fortune), and to those established in right conduct he grants (their due). Stronger than all in action, he also disciplines beings in their duties.”

Word by Word

• दुर्वृत्तानाम्: of the wicked (misconducting)
• दुर्वृत्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (दुष्टं वृत्तं येषाम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हरति: takes away, removes
• हरति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• वृत्तस्थानाम्: of the positions/places (of conduct)
• वृत्तस्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृत्तस्य स्थानम्)

• प्रयच्छति: grants, bestows
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अनुशास्ति: instructs, governs
• अनुशास्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + शास् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूतानि: beings, creatures
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• कार्येषु: in tasks, in affairs
• कार्येषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• बलवत्तरः: stronger, more powerful
• बलवत्तरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

Speaker

Devas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda as cosmic regulator: one hand bestowing boons on the righteous, another restraining the unrighteous; devas and beings arranged in moral contrast, with a subtle aura of Śiva’s authority behind him.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Beings (Bhūtas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through just governance: wrongdoing leads to loss, and right conduct leads to support and prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced; the theme is ethical-cosmic administration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse speaks of discipline and moral consequence rather than rites.