Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

धर्मप्रकटनं चापि श्रेय उक्तं मनीषिभिः । बलं साध्यं पूर्व मेव क्षत्रियाणां प्रकीर्तितम्

Transliteration

dharmaprakaṭanaṃ cāpi śreya uktaṃ manīṣibhiḥ | balaṃ sādhyaṃ pūrva meva kṣatriyāṇāṃ prakīrtitam

Translation

മനീഷികൾ ധർമ്മത്തെ പ്രകാശിപ്പിക്കുകയും നിലനിർത്തുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നതും ശ്രേയസ്സാണെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു. ക്ഷത്രിയർക്കു മുൻപെ നേടേണ്ടത് ബലമെന്നുതന്നെ പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• धर्मप्रकटनम्: manifestation of dharma
• धर्मप्रकटनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकटन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—धर्मस्य प्रकटनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• श्रेयः: the good
• श्रेयः: Karma/Predicative
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उक्तम्: is said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मनीषिभिः: by the sages/wise
• मनीषिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनीषिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• बलम्: strength/power
• बलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• साध्यम्: to be achieved
• साध्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बलम् इति विशेषण (to be accomplished/aimed at)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kriya-vishesana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: formerly/previously)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of Kṣatriyas
• क्षत्रियाणाम्: Shashthi-sambandha
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• प्रकीर्तितम्: has been proclaimed
• प्रकीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vatsa (disciple/son-figure; unspecified in the given excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛṣṇa as counselor-teacher describing rājadharma; imagery of a righteous king/warrior standing with bow or sword, with dharma-symbols (scales, śāstra, temple spire) behind—strength in service of order.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kṣatriya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Power is dharmic only when directed to make dharma visible and protected; Kṣatriya strength is meant for righteous order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes a duty-ideal (cultivation of strength for dharma) rather than a ritual.