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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

त्रिपादस्तत्र धर्मः स्यात्पादेनैकेन पातकम् । तेनापि जायते स्पर्द्धा वर्णानामितरेतरम्

tripādastatra dharmaḥ syātpādenaikena pātakam | tenāpi jāyate sparddhā varṇānāmitaretaram

Là, le Dharma se tient sur trois pieds, tandis que le péché n’en a qu’un ; et pourtant la rivalité naît entre les ordres sociaux, les uns contre les autres.

त्रिपादःthree-footed (having three parts)
त्रिपादः:
Visheshana (qualifier of धर्मः)
TypeAdjective
Rootत्रि + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः पादाः यस्य)
तत्रthere/then
तत्र:
Adhikarana (context/location)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb): तत्र (there/in that time)
धर्मःdharma
धर्मः:
Karta (subject)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
स्यात्would be/is (in that age)
स्यात्:
Kriya (predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्
पादेनby one part/foot
पादेन:
Karana (instrument/measure)
TypeNoun
Rootपाद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन
एकेनby one
एकेन:
Visheshana (qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootएक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पादेन)
पातकम्sin
पातकम्:
Karta (subject, implied: pātakam exists)
TypeNoun
Rootपातक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन
तेनby that/therefore
तेन:
Karana/Hetu (cause: by that)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle): अपि (also)
जायतेarises/is born
जायते:
Kriya (predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootजन् (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्
स्पर्द्धाrivalry/competition
स्पर्द्धा:
Karta (subject)
TypeNoun
Rootस्पर्द्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
वर्णानाम्of the varṇas
वर्णानाम्:
Sambandha (genitive: of the classes)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन
इतरेतरम्mutually/with one another
इतरेतरम्:
Karma (object of rivalry: mutually)
TypeAdjective
Rootइतरेतर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (mutually/one another)

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in the snippet)

Scene: Dharma as a bull standing on three legs; a shadowy figure of Pāpa stands on one leg. In the foreground, groups representing varṇas argue, while a sage gestures toward reconciliation.

D
Dharma
P
Pātaka
V
Varṇa

FAQs

Even when righteousness predominates, social jealousy and rivalry can erode dharma; inner discipline is required to preserve harmony.

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it serves as moral framing within the broader Tīrthamāhātmya narrative.

None explicitly; it is an ethical observation about dharma and societal conduct.