Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

प्रत्यक्षं कारयेद्दिव्यं राज्ञो वाधिकृतस्य वा । ब्राह्मणानां श्रुतवतां प्रकृतीनां तथैव च

Transliteration

pratyakṣaṃ kārayeddivyaṃ rājño vādhikṛtasya vā | brāhmaṇānāṃ śrutavatāṃ prakṛtīnāṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

ଦିବ୍ୟ-ପରୀକ୍ଷା ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଭାବେ କରାଯିବ—ରାଜାଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ କିମ୍ବା ତାଙ୍କ ନିଯୁକ୍ତ ଅଧିକୃତଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ; ଏବଂ ଶ୍ରୁତିଜ୍ଞ ବ୍ରାହ୍ମଣମାନେ ଓ ପ୍ରଜା (ସାକ୍ଷୀମାନେ) ସନ୍ନିଧାନରେ ମଧ୍ୟ।

Word by Word

• प्रत्यक्षम्: directly/in person
• प्रत्यक्षम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (openly/in person)

• कारयेत्: should cause to be done
• कारयेत्: Karta (Agent implied/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् → कारय
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त

• दिव्यम्: the ordeal/ritual test (divya)
• दिव्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राज्ञः: of the king
• राज्ञः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• अधिकृतस्य: of the appointed officer
• अधिकृतस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधि + कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत्) → अधिकृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (appointed/authorized person)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• श्रुतवताम्: learned/versed in scripture
• श्रुतवताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुतवत् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘learned/heard much’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ब्राह्मणानाम्)

• प्रकृतीनाम्: of the subjects/people
• प्रकृतीनाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘subjects/people’

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (likewise)

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

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A public hall or temple-court: king or officer seated; brāhmaṇas with scriptures; townspeople gathered; the ordeal area marked; all proceedings visible.

Characters & Entities

• Rājā (king)
• Adhikṛta (officer)
• Brāhmaṇas
• Prakṛti (subjects)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Justice must be transparent and witnessed—dharma is strengthened when decisions are made in the open under sacred and social oversight.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned; this verse concerns governance and procedural dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The ordeal is to be conducted publicly before the king or an authorized officer, with learned brāhmaṇas and the community as witnesses.