Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

शासनं चेन्न दृष्टं वो नैव तत्पालयाम्यहम् । द्विजाः कोपसमाविष्टा ददुः प्रत्युत्तरं तदा

Transliteration

śāsanaṃ cenna dṛṣṭaṃ vo naiva tatpālayāmyaham | dvijāḥ kopasamāviṣṭā daduḥ pratyuttaraṃ tadā

Translation

「もしお前たちがその命令（権威）を見ていないのなら、私はそれを守らぬ。」そのとき、怒りにとらわれた二度生まれの者たちは答えた。

Word by Word

• शासनम्: command/edict
• शासनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक; √शास् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle ‘if’)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Kriya (Predicative participle/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘seen’

• वः: by you / of you
• वः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘by you/for you’ सन्दर्भे (genitive)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis ‘indeed/only’)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘that (command)’

• पालयामि: I obey/maintain
• पालयामि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्विजाः: the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विजाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कोपसमाविष्टाः: possessed by anger
• कोपसमाविष्टाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोप-सम्-आ-विश् (प्रातिपदिक; कोप + समाविष्ट)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘समाविष्ट’ = ‘entered/possessed’; विशेषणम् (dvijāḥ)

• ददुः: gave
• ददुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्ष-भूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रत्युत्तरम्: a reply/counter-answer
• प्रत्युत्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रति-उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक; प्रति + उत्तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana/Avyaya (Time adverb/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

Speaker

King (first line); Narrator (second line describing response)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king stands firm, refusing to ‘uphold’ an unseen command; brāhmaṇas rise with anger, their faces stern, one raising a hand in admonition; the forest clearing feels charged, as if heat shimmers from ascetic power.

Characters & Entities

• Dwijas (Brāhmaṇas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When authority and dharma are disputed, humility and proper evidence are required; anger escalates conflict and obscures truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is the setting; the verse highlights governance and dharma within a sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.