Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23
विवासयेत्स्वकाद्राष्ट्रात्ते हि लोकस्य कंटकाः । तेषामन्वेषणे यत्नं राजा नित्यं समाचरेत्
vivāsayetsvakādrāṣṭrātte hi lokasya kaṃṭakāḥ | teṣāmanveṣaṇe yatnaṃ rājā nityaṃ samācaret
അവരെ തന്റെ രാജ്യത്തിൽ നിന്ന് നാടുകടത്തണം; കാരണം അവർ ജനങ്ങൾക്ക് മുള്ളുപോലെയാണ്. അവരെ കണ്ടെത്താനുള്ള അന്വേഷണത്തിൽ രാജാവ് നിത്യം പരിശ്രമിക്കണം।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) speaking to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Scene: Royal guards escort identified sorcerers/obstructors beyond the city gates; citizens watch with relief; the king stands at the ramparts, symbolically ‘clearing thorns’ from the realm; a road stretches into wilderness.
FAQs
Protecting society is a sacred duty: removing persistent wrongdoers is framed as service to the people and to dharma.
No holy site is mentioned; the verse is a governance directive.
Not a ritual act, but a dharmic administrative measure: investigation and exile of those deemed harmful to public welfare.