Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 27
क्रोधाल्लोभात्कारयंश्च स्वयमेव प्रदुष्यति । तस्मात्पापिषु दिव्यं स्यात्तत्रादौ प्रोच्यते धटे
krodhāllobhātkārayaṃśca svayameva praduṣyati | tasmātpāpiṣu divyaṃ syāttatrādau procyate dhaṭe
Acting out of anger and greed, one becomes tainted by one’s own deed. Therefore, in the case of sinners, a divine ordeal should be employed; and here, first, the ‘dhaṭa’ (balance-ordeal) is described.
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)
Scene: A judicial assembly prepares for a divine ordeal: a balance apparatus hinted in the background; the accused stands tense; the judge/king remains composed; personifications of Krodha and Lobha appear as shadowy figures behind the accused, indicating inner taint.
FAQs
Inner vices (anger, greed) themselves pollute the doer; dharma demands accountability and tested truth in serious cases.
No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on dharma and judicial testing.
The verse introduces the divine ordeal called ‘dhaṭa’—a balance/scale-based test—used in judging sinners.