Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

लक्षयेयुः कृतादीनि हस्तयोस्तस्य हारिणः । सप्ताश्वत्थस्य पत्राणि भध्नीयुः करयोस्ततः

Transliteration

lakṣayeyuḥ kṛtādīni hastayostasya hāriṇaḥ | saptāśvatthasya patrāṇi bhadhnīyuḥ karayostataḥ

Translation

ആ വ്യക്തിയുടെ ഇരുകൈകളിലെ കൃതാദി ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ (രേഖകൾ, ചിഹ്നങ്ങൾ മുതലായവ) ശ്രദ്ധിച്ച് നോക്കണം. തുടർന്ന് അശ്വത്ഥ (അരയാൽ) വൃക്ഷത്തിന്റെ ഏഴ് ഇലകൾ അവന്റെ കൈകളിൽ കെട്ടണം।

Word by Word

• लक्षयेयुः: they should mark/indicate
• लक्षयेयुः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृत: (the sign) kṛta
• कृत: Sambandha (List member/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक; ‘made/formed’)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• आदीनि: and others etc.
• आदीनि: Sambandha (Etc./सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासान्त-प्रयोग; ‘etc.’ (in compound)

• कृतादीनि: kṛta and other (marks)
• कृतादीनि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (kṛta etc. signs)

• हस्तयोः: on the two hands
• हस्तयोः: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; here षष्ठी (on/of the two hands)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हारिणः: of the deer
• हारिणः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• अश्वत्थस्य: of the aśvattha (fig tree)
• अश्वत्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सप्ताश्वत्थस्य: of seven aśvattha (leaves/trees)
• सप्ताश्वत्थस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या) + अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (of seven aśvatthas / of the seven-aśvattha set)

• पत्राणि: leaves
• पत्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बध्नीयुः: they should tie/bind
• बध्नीयुः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• करयोः: on the two hands
• करयोः: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; here षष्ठी (of/on the two hands)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/काल-निर्देशक-अव्यय (thereupon/then)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Witnesses closely inspect the accused/participant’s palms; attendants tie seven fresh aśvattha leaves to each hand with thread; the ritual space and deity remain in view.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvattha (sacred fig)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred natural symbols (aśvattha leaves) and careful observation are used to support a dhārmic process of purification and discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified in this verse; the focus is on the ritual materials and procedure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Inspect the person’s hand-signs/lines and bind seven aśvattha leaves onto his hands.