Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

असाक्षिकेषु चार्थेषु मिथो विवदमानयोः । राजद्रोहाभिशापेषु साहसेषु तथैव च

Transliteration

asākṣikeṣu cārtheṣu mitho vivadamānayoḥ | rājadrohābhiśāpeṣu sāhaseṣu tathaiva ca

Translation

In matters where there are no witnesses, when two parties dispute with each other; in accusations of treason against the king; in cases involving curses and denunciations; and likewise in acts of violence—(in such situations the divine ordeals are employed).

Word by Word

• असाक्षिकेषु: in (cases) without witnesses
• असाक्षिकेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + साक्षिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (साक्षिकः न)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अर्थेषु: in matters/cases
• अर्थेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• मिथः: mutually
• मिथः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मिथः (अव्यय)
• Form: परस्पर-अव्यय (reciprocal adverb)

• विवदमानयोः: of the two disputing
• विवदमानयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वद् (धातु) → विवदमान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्; Present active participle), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• राजद्रोहाभिशापेषु: in curses (cases) of treason against the king
• राजद्रोहाभिशापेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रोह (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिशाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; (राजद्रोह) षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + तत्पुरुष (राजद्रोहस्य अभिशापः)

• साहसेषु: in violent/forcible acts
• साहसेषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/likewise)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Arjuna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal court or council where two disputants argue without witnesses; ministers and a sage advise; symbols of treason accusation and violence cases appear as shadowed vignettes, emphasizing the need for divine ordeal.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king, generic)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Society must uphold truth and justice; when ordinary proof is missing, dharmic systems prescribe extraordinary means to prevent adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is juridical/dharmic rather than tīrtha-centered.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It specifies the contexts—witnessless disputes and grave charges—where divya-parīkṣā may be invoked.