Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

तावदत्रैव स्थातव्यं भवद्भिर्हि न संशयः । यदा हि शासनं विप्रा न मन्यंते नृपा भुवि

Transliteration

tāvadatraiva sthātavyaṃ bhavadbhirhi na saṃśayaḥ | yadā hi śāsanaṃ viprā na manyaṃte nṛpā bhuvi

Translation

ଏହେତୁ ତୁମେ ନିଶ୍ଚୟ ଏଠିଏ ରହିବା ଉଚିତ—ଏଥିରେ ସନ୍ଦେହ ନାହିଁ; ହେ ବିପ୍ରମାନେ, ଯେତେବେଳେ ପୃଥିବୀରେ ରାଜାମାନେ ଧର୍ମ୍ୟ ଶାସନକୁ ମାନନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• तावत्: for so long
• तावत्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तावद्-परिमाणवाचक (so long; for that duration)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात

• स्थातव्यम्: (it) must be stayed; one must remain
• स्थातव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्); भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोग; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; अर्थः ‘कर्तव्य/आवश्यक’ (to be stayed; must remain)

• भवद्भिः: by you (honorific, plural)
• भवद्भिः: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक; तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; आदरार्थे ‘you’

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक निपात (indeed/for)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (when)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• शासनम्: command; decree
• शासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• विप्राः: brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• मन्यन्ते: they think; they accept
• मन्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd pl)

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Rāmadeva (Śrī Rāma)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas (dvija)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇas are instructed to remain in the forest-kshetra while, in a contrasting vignette, distant kings in court ignore petitions and dharmic counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)
• Nṛpāḥ (kings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Social order stands on honoring dharma; when rulers disregard it, the righteous must hold firm to sacred guidance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmāraṇya is implied as a refuge of dharma where sacred commands are safeguarded.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual appears; the instruction is ethical and protective—remain steadfast in dharma.