Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तुलाकाष्ठे तु कर्तव्यं तथा वै शिक्यकद्वयम् । प्राङ्मुखो निश्चलः कार्यः शुचौ देशे धटस्तथा

Transliteration

tulākāṣṭhe tu kartavyaṃ tathā vai śikyakadvayam | prāṅmukho niścalaḥ kāryaḥ śucau deśe dhaṭastathā

Translation

തുലാകാഷ്ഠത്തിൽ അതുപോലെ രണ്ട് ശിക്യങ്ങൾ (കൂട/ചാക്ക്) ഒരുക്കണം. ധടൻ കിഴക്കോട്ട് മുഖം തിരിച്ച് അചഞ്ചലനായി ഇരിക്കണം; കർമ്മം ശുദ്ധസ്ഥാനത്ത് നടത്തണം।

Word by Word

• तुलाकाष्ठे: on/in the balance-beam
• तुलाकाष्ठे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—तुलायाः काष्ठे

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः

• कर्तव्यम्: is to be made/should be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Kriya (Predicative action/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (तव्यत्-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-भावः (ought to be done)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphasis)

• शिक्यकद्वयम्: a pair of slings/baskets
• शिक्यकद्वयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिक्यक (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः—द्वे शिक्यके (two slings/baskets)

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् (अव्यय/दिक्शब्द) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः—प्राङ् (eastward) + मुखः (facing)

• निश्चलः: motionless, steady
• निश्चलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्तुः)

• कार्यः: should be made/appointed
• कार्यः: Kriya (Predicative action/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-भावः (to be made/appointed)

• शुचौ: in a clean (place)
• शुचौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देशे)

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• धटः: the assistant/attendant (dhaṭa)
• धटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A clean ritual ground with a balance-beam mounted; two hanging baskets; the operator sits/stands facing the rising sun in the east; attendants maintain silence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-based rites require steadiness and purity—outer cleanliness supports inner truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; it gives general ritual directions (east-facing, clean location).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Attach two śikyaka (slings) to the balance-beam; perform the ordeal with an east-facing, steady functionary in a clean place.