Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

सदा दण्डरुचिर्यश्च यो वा दण्डरुचिर्न हि । उत्कोचकैरधिकृतैस्तस्करैस्च प्रपीड्यते

Transliteration

sadā daṇḍaruciryaśca yo vā daṇḍarucirna hi | utkocakairadhikṛtaistaskaraisca prapīḍyate

Translation

ਜੋ ਸਦਾ ਦੰਡ ਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਸਮਝੇ, ਜਾਂ ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਦੰਡ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਨਾ ਹੋਵੇ—ਉਹ ਰਿਸ਼ਵਤਖੋਰ ਅਧਿਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਅਤੇ ਚੋਰਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਤੰਗ ਤੇ ਪੀੜਤ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kālādhi karaṇa (Temporal adverbial/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• daṇḍaruciḥ: one fond of punishment
• daṇḍaruciḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa + ruci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष ‘दण्डे रुचिः’ (fond of punishment)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम

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

• daṇḍaruciḥ: fond of punishment
• daṇḍaruciḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṇḍa + ruci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Nipāta (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/अवधारणार्थ (for/indeed)

• utkocakaiḥ: by bribe-takers/extortioners
• utkocakaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utkocaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• adhikṛtaiḥ: by appointed (officials)
• adhikṛtaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhi + √kṛ (कृ धातु) → adhikṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘appointed/authorized’

• taskaraiḥ: by thieves
• taskaraiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• prapīḍyate: is oppressed/harassed
• prapīḍyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √pīḍ (पीड् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A road with travelers/pilgrims being squeezed by bribery-taking officials at a checkpoint while thieves lurk; the ruler’s emblem appears indifferent, symbolizing imbalance in daṇḍa.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When governance and social order degrade, corruption and theft prevail; dharma requires balanced, principled administration of daṇḍa.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is referenced; the verse is a nīti-oriented observation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it discusses administrative ethics and social consequences.