Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

धर्मप्रकटनं चापि श्रेय उक्तं मनीषिभिः । बलं साध्यं पूर्व मेव क्षत्रियाणां प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

dharmaprakaṭanaṃ cāpi śreya uktaṃ manīṣibhiḥ | balaṃ sādhyaṃ pūrva meva kṣatriyāṇāṃ prakīrtitam

Translation

Para bijak juga menyatakan bahwa menampakkan dan menegakkan dharma adalah kebajikan tertinggi. Dan bagi Kṣatriya, kekuatan—terutama dan pertama—dinyatakan sebagai sesuatu yang harus ditempa.

Word by Word

• धर्मप्रकटनम्: manifestation of dharma
• धर्मप्रकटनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकटन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—धर्मस्य प्रकटनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• श्रेयः: the good
• श्रेयः: Karma/Predicative
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उक्तम्: is said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मनीषिभिः: by the sages/wise
• मनीषिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• बलम्: strength/power
• बलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• साध्यम्: to be achieved
• साध्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बलम् इति विशेषण (to be accomplished/aimed at)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-vishesana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: formerly/previously)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of Kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रियाणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vatsa (disciple/son-figure; unspecified in the given excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛṣṇa as counselor-teacher describing rājadharma; imagery of a righteous king/warrior standing with bow or sword, with dharma-symbols (scales, śāstra, temple spire) behind—strength in service of order.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kṣatriya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power is dharmic only when directed to make dharma visible and protected; Kṣatriya strength is meant for righteous order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes a duty-ideal (cultivation of strength for dharma) rather than a ritual.