Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 184

Devanagari script

दुर्वृत्तानां स हरति वृत्तस्थानां प्रयच्छति । अनुशास्ति च भूतानि कार्येषु बलवत्तरः

Transliteration

durvṛttānāṃ sa harati vṛttasthānāṃ prayacchati | anuśāsti ca bhūtāni kāryeṣu balavattaraḥ

Translation

അവൻ ദുർവൃത്തന്മാരിൽ നിന്നു അവരുടെ തേജസ്സും ഐശ്വര്യവും അപഹരിക്കുകയും, സദ്വൃത്തത്തിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നവർക്ക് യഥോചിത സ്ഥാനവും ഫലവും നൽകുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു. പ്രവർത്തിയിൽ ഏറ്റവും ബലവാനായി ജീവികളെ അവരുടെ കർത്തവ്യങ്ങളിൽ ശാസിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• दुर्वृत्तानाम्: of the wicked (misconducting)
• दुर्वृत्तानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग) + वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (दुष्टं वृत्तं येषाम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हरति: takes away, removes
• हरति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• वृत्तस्थानाम्: of the positions/places (of conduct)
• वृत्तस्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वृत्तस्य स्थानम्)

• प्रयच्छति: grants, bestows
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• अनुशास्ति: instructs, governs
• अनुशास्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + शास् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूतानि: beings, creatures
• भूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• कार्येषु: in tasks, in affairs
• कार्येषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• बलवत्तरः: stronger, more powerful
• बलवत्तरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + तरप् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative)

Speaker

Devas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda as cosmic regulator: one hand bestowing boons on the righteous, another restraining the unrighteous; devas and beings arranged in moral contrast, with a subtle aura of Śiva’s authority behind him.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Beings (Bhūtas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through just governance: wrongdoing leads to loss, and right conduct leads to support and prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced; the theme is ethical-cosmic administration.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse speaks of discipline and moral consequence rather than rites.