Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

राजा भूत्वा न यः सम्यग्विचारयति वादिनम् । तस्य तत्पातकं घोरं राज्ञश्चैव प्रजायते

Transliteration

rājā bhūtvā na yaḥ samyagvicārayati vādinam | tasya tatpātakaṃ ghoraṃ rājñaścaiva prajāyate

Translation

He who, though a king, does not properly examine the plea of the litigant—upon that king indeed arises that dreadful sin.

Word by Word

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having become)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विचारयति: examines, judges
• विचारयति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + चर् (धातु) [णिच्]
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: 'cause to be examined'/to examine)

• वादिनम्: the litigant/speaker
• वादिनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्-पातकम्: that sin/crime
• तत्-पातकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (तत् एव पातकम्)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of पातकम्)

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, certainly
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• प्रजायते: arises, accrues
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Narrative context (Didactic statement within Tīrthamāhātmya; likely Sūta or a dharma-instructor figure)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king on the judgment seat ignores or dismisses a petitioner; a shadowy aura of ‘ghora pāṭaka’ looms behind the throne; sages gesture toward scriptures, urging proper inquiry.

Characters & Entities

• King (rājā)
• Litigant (vādin)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous governance requires careful inquiry; failure in justice becomes a grave karmic fault for the ruler.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it functions as dharma-teaching within a broader tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it sets up the need for later purification practices.