Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

नवीनं शासनं कृत्वा पूर्ववद्विधिपूर्वकम् । निष्कासितास्तु पाषंडाः कृतशास्त्रप्रयोजकाः

Transliteration

navīnaṃ śāsanaṃ kṛtvā pūrvavadvidhipūrvakam | niṣkāsitāstu pāṣaṃḍāḥ kṛtaśāstraprayojakāḥ

Translation

Ayant institué un nouvel ordre de gouvernement, selon la règle et comme autrefois, on chassa les pāṣaṇḍas, ces hérétiques qui mettaient en œuvre des doctrines fabriquées.

Word by Word

• नवीनम्: new
• नवीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘शासनम्’)

• शासनम्: edict/rule
• शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वक्रिया (having made)

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as before)

• विधिपूर्वकम्: according to proper procedure
• विधिपूर्वकम्: Sambandha (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः (विधिना पूर्वकं = विधिपूर्वकम्), अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषणम्

• निष्कासिताः: were expelled
• निष्कासिताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निस्+कास् (धातु) + निष्कासित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः ‘were expelled’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• पाषण्डाः: heretics
• पाषण्डाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाषण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन

• कृतशास्त्रप्रयोजकाः: those who employed fabricated scriptures
• कृतशास्त्रप्रयोजकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयोजक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (कृतेन/कृतं शास्त्रं प्रयुञ्जते इति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘पाषण्डाः’)

Speaker

Vyāsa (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhūpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal proclamation of renewed शासन: officials and brāhmaṇas set rules; pāṣaṇḍas are escorted out of the city/kshetra gates; the populace watches as order is restored.

Characters & Entities

• Śāsana (governance/edict)
• Pāṣaṇḍas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A ruler protects dharma by instituting orderly governance and removing forces that undermine righteous conduct and sacred norms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the narrative setting; its ‘māhātmya’ is reflected in the re-establishment of dharma-aligned rule.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

“Vidhi-pūrvakam” indicates acting according to proper procedure—governance and reforms should follow established dharmic method.