Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

कार्ये दुःसाध्य एव स्यात्क्षत्रियस्य पराक्रमः । करींद्रस्येव यूथेषु गजानां न मृगेषु च

Transliteration

kārye duḥsādhya eva syātkṣatriyasya parākramaḥ | karīṃdrasyeva yūtheṣu gajānāṃ na mṛgeṣu ca

Translation

ക്ഷത്രിയന്റെ പരാക്രമം ദുസ്സാധ്യമായ കര്‍മ്മങ്ങളിലേയ്ക്ക് തന്നെ നിയോഗിക്കണം—ആനകളുടെ കൂട്ടത്തിൽ ഗജേന്ദ്രനെപ്പോലെ, മൃഗങ്ങളിൽ (മാൻകളിൽ) അല്ല.

Word by Word

• कार्ये: in an undertaking; in action
• कार्ये: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• दुःसाध्यः: hard to accomplish
• दुःसाध्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःसाध्य (प्रातिपदिक; दुर् + साध्य [कृदन्त])
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (पराक्रमः)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle: indeed/only)

• स्यात्: would be; should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• क्षत्रियस्य: of a kṣatriya
• क्षत्रियस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• पराक्रमः: valor; prowess
• पराक्रमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• करीन्द्रस्य: of the lord of elephants
• करीन्द्रस्य: Sambandha (Comparison base/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करीन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक; करि + इन्द्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Simile marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमार्थक (particle: like/as)

• यूथेषु: among herds
• यूथेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• गजानाम्: of elephants
• गजानाम्: Sambandha (Of elephants/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (particle: not)

• मृगेषु: among deer/animals
• मृगेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction: and)

Speaker

Narrative voice (speaker not named in verse; didactic counsel)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (assembly)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: a majestic tusker standing amid a herd of elephants, contrasted with a separate vignette of deer—illustrating proper arena for valor; overlayed with a warrior listening to counsel.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Strength and authority are meant for protecting and accomplishing difficult duties, not for dominating the weak.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is a general dharma teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.