Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

पुण्यकर्मा सौम्यरूपं धर्मराजं तदा किल । मनुष्या एव गच्छंति यमलोकेन चापरे

Transliteration

puṇyakarmā saumyarūpaṃ dharmarājaṃ tadā kila | manuṣyā eva gacchaṃti yamalokena cāpare

Translation

ಆದರೆ ಪುಣ್ಯಕರ್ಮಿ ಆ ಸಮಯದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಜವಾಗಿ ಸೌಮ್ಯರೂಪದ ಧರ್ಮರಾಜನ ಬಳಿಗೆ ಸೇರುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಇನ್ನೂ ಕೆಲ ಜೀವಿಗಳೂ ಯಮಲೋಕದ ಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ—ಮಾನವ ಆತ್ಮಗಳಾಗಿ—ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾರೆ।

Word by Word

• puṇya-karmā: one whose deeds are meritorious
• puṇya-karmā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya karma puṇyam saḥ)

• saumya-rūpam: of gentle/pleasant form
• saumya-rūpam: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumya (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् (dharmarājam)

• dharma-rājam: Dharmarāja (Yama as king of dharma)
• dharma-rājam: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dharmasya rājā)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (temporal adverb): 'then'

• kila: indeed, it is said
• kila: Sambandha/Prayojaka-nipāta (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kila (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle) — emphasis/hearsay

• manuṣyāḥ: people, humans
• manuṣyāḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• eva: only, indeed
• eva: Nipāta (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• gacchanti: go
• gacchanti: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• yama-lokena: through Yama’s world (Yamaloka)
• yama-lokena: Karaṇa/Patha (Means/route)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (yamasya lokaḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• apare: others
• apare: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta (deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative style)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a sage/audience (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharmarāja appears in a gentle, auspicious form to a meritorious soul; the court is orderly, luminous, and calm, contrasting with the sinner’s terror.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmarāja
• Yama
• Yamaloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

For the righteous, divine judgment is not भय (terror) but order and protection; puṇya transforms one’s experience of the same realm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is specified; the verse contrasts the sinner’s fear with the righteous person’s calm meeting with Dharmarāja.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is named; the prescription is broad: cultivate puṇya through dharmic action.