Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तुलाकाष्ठे तु कर्तव्यं तथा वै शिक्यकद्वयम् । प्राङ्मुखो निश्चलः कार्यः शुचौ देशे धटस्तथा

Transliteration

tulākāṣṭhe tu kartavyaṃ tathā vai śikyakadvayam | prāṅmukho niścalaḥ kāryaḥ śucau deśe dhaṭastathā

Translation

Sur la poutre de la balance, qu’on dispose également deux śikyaka (sangles ou paniers suspendus). Le ‘dhaṭa’ (officiant du rite) doit demeurer immobile, tourné vers l’est, et l’office se fera en un lieu pur.

Word by Word

• तुलाकाष्ठे: on/in the balance-beam
• तुलाकाष्ठे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—तुलायाः काष्ठे

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be made/should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Predicative action/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-भावः (ought to be done)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphasis)

• शिक्यकद्वयम्: a pair of slings/baskets
• शिक्यकद्वयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिक्यक (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः—द्वे शिक्यके (two slings/baskets)

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—प्राङ् (eastward) + मुखः (facing)

• निश्चलः: motionless, steady
• निश्चलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्तुः)

• कार्यः: should be made/appointed
• कार्यः: Kriya (Predicative action/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-भावः (to be made/appointed)

• शुचौ: in a clean (place)
• शुचौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देशे)

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• धटः: the assistant/attendant (dhaṭa)
• धटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A clean ritual ground with a balance-beam mounted; two hanging baskets; the operator sits/stands facing the rising sun in the east; attendants maintain silence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-based rites require steadiness and purity—outer cleanliness supports inner truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; it gives general ritual directions (east-facing, clean location).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Attach two śikyaka (slings) to the balance-beam; perform the ordeal with an east-facing, steady functionary in a clean place.