Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

तुलाधारधरः कार्यो रिपौ मित्रे च यः समः । श्रावयेत्प्राड्विवाकोऽपि तुलाधारं विचक्षणः

Transliteration

tulādhāradharaḥ kāryo ripau mitre ca yaḥ samaḥ | śrāvayetprāḍvivāko'pi tulādhāraṃ vicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Qu’on établisse comme gardien de la balance un homme impartial, sans parti pris, égal envers l’ennemi comme envers l’ami. Même le juge savant (prāḍvivāka), s’il est avisé, doit faire instruire le gardien de la balance et le faire suivre la règle.

Word by Word

• तुलाधारधरः: the scale-holder (bearer of the balance)
• तुलाधारधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + धार (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—तुलायाः धारः (support/holder) तं धरति इति (bearer of the scale-support)

• कार्यः: should be made/appointed
• कार्यः: Kriya (Predicative action/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (यत्-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-भावः (should be appointed)

• रिपौ: towards an enemy / in the case of an enemy
• रिपौ: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रिपु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• मित्रे: towards a friend / in the case of a friend
• मित्रे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपातः

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• समः: impartial, equal
• समः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (यः)

• श्रावयेत्: should cause to be announced / should have proclaimed
• श्रावयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) [णिच् causative: श्रावय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच् (causative)

• प्राड्विवाकः: the chief judge/arbiter
• प्राड्विवाकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राड् (प्रातिपदिक) + विवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—प्राड् (chief/senior) विवाकः (judge/arbiter)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (also/even)

• तुलाधारम्: the scale-holder
• तुलाधारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + धार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—तुलायाः धारः

• विचक्षणः: discerning, expert
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्राड्विवाकस्य)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara Khaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A court-like mandapa: the balance apparatus stands center; an impartial balance-holder stands calm; a learned judge instructs; disputants stand aside under temple pillars.

Characters & Entities

• prāḍvivāka
• tulādhāra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in judgment begins with impartiality; ritual procedures must be overseen by unbiased, competent persons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it focuses on dharma-śāstric procedure within the Purāṇic discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Appointment and instruction of an impartial balance-holder for the weighing-ordeal (tulā-parīkṣā).