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

秤を支える者は、怨敵にも友にも等しく、偏りなき公平の人を任ずべし。識見ある学識の裁判官（プラードヴィヴァーカ）もまた、秤持ちに手順を聞かせ、教え導いて法に従わせよ。

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).