Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

यस्य राज्ञः प्रजा राष्ट्रे पच्यते नरकेषु सः । अचौरं चौरवत्पश्येच्चौरं वाऽचौररूपिणम्

Transliteration

yasya rājñaḥ prajā rāṣṭre pacyate narakeṣu saḥ | acauraṃ cauravatpaśyeccauraṃ vā'caurarūpiṇam

Translation

ଯେ ରାଜାଙ୍କ ରାଷ୍ଟ୍ରରେ ପ୍ରଜା ନରକରେ ପକାଯାଉଥିବା ପରି ଯନ୍ତ୍ରଣା ଭୋଗେ—ସେଇ ରାଜା ନିର୍ଦୋଷକୁ ଚୋର ଭାବେ ଦେଖେ, କିମ୍ବା ଚୋରକୁ ନିର୍ଦୋଷ ରୂପେ ମାନେ।

Word by Word

• yasya: whose
• yasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• prajā: the subjects, people
• prajā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (collective)

• rāṣṭre: in the kingdom
• rāṣṭre: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• pacyate: is cooked/tormented
• pacyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pac (पच् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• narakeṣu: in hells
• narakeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• acauraṃ: a non-thief (innocent person)
• acauraṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- + caura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negated)

• cauravat: like a thief
• cauravat: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: caura + vat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (adverbial ‘like’)

• paśyet: should see/regard
• paśyet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• cauram: a thief
• cauram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• acaura-rūpiṇam: one having the form/appearance of a non-thief
• acaura-rūpiṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- + caura + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (determinative) ‘अचौररूपः’ = having the appearance of a non-thief

Speaker

Mahākāla (contextual—Kaumārikākhaṇḍa dialogue; immediate speaker not marked in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king on the judgment seat: an innocent bound as ‘thief’ while a real thief stands disguised and honored; behind, a vision of naraka flames ‘cooking’ souls as karmic warning.

Characters & Entities

• rājā (king)
• prajā (subjects)
• naraka (hell)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Misjudgment and injustice by rulers is a grave adharma that leads to severe karmic consequence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is rāja-dharma and karmic retribution.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical injunction about correct discernment and justice.