Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

निर्णयं हृदये धृत्वा तत्रस्थं श्रावयेद्द्विजान् । केवलं धर्मबुद्ध्या च पक्षपातं विवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

nirṇayaṃ hṛdaye dhṛtvā tatrasthaṃ śrāvayeddvijān | kevalaṃ dharmabuddhyā ca pakṣapātaṃ vivarjayet

Translation

തീരുമാനം ഹൃദയത്തിൽ ദൃഢമായി ധരിച്ചു, അവിടെ സന്നിഹിതരായ ദ്വിജന്മാർക്ക് പ്രസ്താവിക്കണം. ധർമ്മബുദ്ധിയാൽ മാത്രം പക്ഷപാതം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• निर्णयम्: decision
• निर्णयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्णय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हृदये: in the heart/mind
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• धृत्वा: having held/keeping
• धृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धृ (धातु) + त्वा (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• तत्रस्थम्: situated there (in it)
• तत्रस्थम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (निर्णयम्)

• श्रावयेत्: should cause to hear/should announce
• श्रावयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; णिजन्त (causative)

• द्विजान्: the brāhmaṇas
• द्विजान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• केवलम्: only/solely
• केवलम्: Adverbial (Kriya-visheshana/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (only/merely)

• धर्म-बुद्ध्या: with a righteous intention
• धर्म-बुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (by/with the intention of dharma)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• पक्षपातम्: partiality/bias
• पक्षपातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• विवर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Deductive: Sūta (ethical-juridical instruction) emphasizing impartial dharma

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An elder adjudicator rises, holding the resolved decision in mind, and announces it to the assembled dvijas; his posture conveys firmness and impartiality.

Characters & Entities

• dvija
• dharma
• nirṇaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Impartiality is a sacred duty: decisions should be rooted in dharma, then declared transparently without factional bias.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse teaches universal dharma for adjudication.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes ethical procedure—form the verdict, announce it, and avoid pakṣapāta (partiality).