Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

वाक्यं च युक्तिसंयुक्तं धर्मपुत्रमभाषत । पैतृष्वस्रेय धर्मात्मञ्च्छृणु पथ्यं वचो मम

Transliteration

vākyaṃ ca yuktisaṃyuktaṃ dharmaputramabhāṣata | paitṛṣvasreya dharmātmañcchṛṇu pathyaṃ vaco mama

Translation

แล้วเขากล่าวแก่ธรรมบุตรด้วยถ้อยคำประกอบด้วยเหตุผลว่า “โอ บุตรแห่งพี่น้องฝ่ายมารดาของบิดาเอ๋ย โอ ผู้มีธรรมในดวงใจ จงฟังถ้อยคำอันเป็นกุศลของเรา”

Word by Word

• vākyaṃ: speech, statement
• vākyaṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

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

• yukti-saṃyuktam: endowed with reasoning
• yukti-saṃyuktam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukti (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (yuktyā/yukteḥ saṃyuktam = endowed with reasoning)

• dharmaputram: Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• dharmaputram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (dharmasya putraḥ)

• abhāṣata: spoke to, addressed
• abhāṣata: Karma-pravartaka (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्गः अभि- (abhi-)

• paitṛṣvasreya: O cousin (son of my paternal aunt)
• paitṛṣvasreya: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + svasṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + ya (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th case/Vocative), एकवचन; तद्धितः (पैतृष्वस्रेय = paternal aunt's son/cousin)

• dharmātman: O righteous-souled one
• dharmātman: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (yasya ātmā dharmamayaḥ)

• śṛṇu: listen
• śṛṇu: Vidhi (Injunction/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), परस्मैपदम्, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• pathyam: wholesome, beneficial
• pathyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (vacaḥ-विशेषण)

• vacaḥ: words
• vacaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (vacas-शब्दः)

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th case/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Kṛṣṇa (addressing Yudhiṣṭhira/Dharmaputra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛṣṇa turns toward Dharmaputra, speaking gently yet firmly; the address ‘paitṛṣvasreya’ underscores familial intimacy; the court quiets to hear counsel.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Dharmaputra (Yudhiṣṭhira)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Righteous action should be guided by yukti (discernment) and hita (wholesome counsel), especially for rulers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu (Rāmeśvaram) is the broader section’s sacred geography, though this verse itself is a dialogue on dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription is implied: follow beneficial counsel before initiating major rites like the Rājasūya.