Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53
प्रत्यक्षं कारयेद्दिव्यं राज्ञो वाधिकृतस्य वा । ब्राह्मणानां श्रुतवतां प्रकृतीनां तथैव च
pratyakṣaṃ kārayeddivyaṃ rājño vādhikṛtasya vā | brāhmaṇānāṃ śrutavatāṃ prakṛtīnāṃ tathaiva ca
ದಿವ್ಯಪರೀಕ್ಷೆಯನ್ನು ಪ್ರತ್ಯಕ್ಷವಾಗಿ ನಡೆಸಬೇಕು—ರಾಜನ ಮುಂದೆ ಅಥವಾ ಅವನ ನಿಯುಕ್ತ ಅಧಿಕಾರಿಯ ಮುಂದೆ; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಶ್ರುತಿವಂತರಾದ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಜೆ (ಸಾಕ್ಷಿಗಳು) ಸನ್ನಿಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂಡ।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)
Scene: A public hall or temple-court: king or officer seated; brāhmaṇas with scriptures; townspeople gathered; the ordeal area marked; all proceedings visible.
FAQs
Justice must be transparent and witnessed—dharma is strengthened when decisions are made in the open under sacred and social oversight.
No holy site is mentioned; this verse concerns governance and procedural dharma.
The ordeal is to be conducted publicly before the king or an authorized officer, with learned brāhmaṇas and the community as witnesses.