Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

श्रद्दध्यात्पार्थिवस्तेषां वचना देव भारत । ज्ञात्वा धर्मिष्ठतां राजा पुरुषस्य विचक्षणः

Transliteration

śraddadhyātpārthivasteṣāṃ vacanā deva bhārata | jñātvā dharmiṣṭhatāṃ rājā puruṣasya vicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

O edler Bhārata, der König soll Vertrauen in die Worte solcher Männer setzen. Hat der einsichtige Herrscher die standhafte Rechtschaffenheit eines Menschen erkannt, soll er sich auf ihn stützen.

Word by Word

• श्रद्दध्यात्: should have faith / should trust
• श्रद्दध्यात्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रद्-धा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (singular)

• पार्थिवः: the king
• पार्थिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masculine), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम् (singular)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), बहुवचनम् (plural)

• वचनात्: from (their) statement/words
• वचनात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neuter), पञ्चमी (5th case/ablative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• देव: O lord
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• भारत: O Bhārata
• भारत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः (indeclinable verbal)

• धर्मिष्ठताम्: the greatest righteousness
• धर्मिष्ठताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्मिष्ठता (प्रातिपदिक; धर्मिष्ठ + ता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः (feminine), द्वितीया (2nd case/accusative), एकवचनम् (singular)

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्

• पुरुषस्य: of the man/person
• पुरुषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी (6th case/genitive), एकवचनम्

• विचक्षणः: discerning, wise
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata (addressed vocatively; likely a royal interlocutor such as a king/hero in the narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A discerning king in a sabhā listens to a calm, austere dharmic counselor/witness; the king’s hand gestures indicate measured trust; scribes and ministers observe; a dharma-scale motif appears subtly in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārata (epithet)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Social order rests on dharma: rulers should recognize and honor the credibility of the truly righteous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes a governance principle—trusting the testimony of proven dharmic persons.