Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 117

Devanagari script

विवादे पृच्छमानानां पक्षपातेन जल्पताम् । भयाद्वा यदि वा लोभाद्द्वेषाद्वा कामतोऽपि वा

Transliteration

vivāde pṛcchamānānāṃ pakṣapātena jalpatām | bhayādvā yadi vā lobhāddveṣādvā kāmato'pi vā

Translation

جھگڑوں میں—جن سے فیصلہ پوچھا جائے مگر وہ جانب داری سے بولیں، خواہ خوف سے، یا لالچ سے، یا عداوت سے، یا خواہش کے سبب بھی—

Word by Word

• विवादे: in a dispute
• विवादे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पृच्छमानानाम्: of those who are asking (questions)
• पृच्छमानानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + शानच् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पक्षपातेन: with partiality/bias
• पक्षपातेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षपात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• जल्पताम्: of those who speak (argue)
• जल्पताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल्प् (धातु) + शतृ (प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle/शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भयात्: from fear / out of fear
• भयात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-बोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त-निर्देशक अव्यय

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-बोधक अव्यय

• लोभात्: from greed
• लोभात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• द्वेषात्: from hatred
• द्वेषात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-बोधक अव्यय

• कामतः: out of desire
• कामतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'from desire/for pleasure')

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षा-बोधक अव्यय (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-बोधक अव्यय

Speaker

Unspecified narrator within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrtha-māhātmya (deductively: Sūta relating a tale/dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council-like scene overlays the serpent episode: figures in dispute look to a judge; shadowy personifications of fear, greed, hatred, and desire tug at the speaker’s mind, while the dharmic voice remains steady.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma demands impartial truthfulness; biased speech in judgment—driven by fear, greed, hatred, or desire—creates serious moral fault.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This line is part of a broader tīrtha narrative but does not itself name a location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears; it is ethical teaching preparing the next verse’s conclusion.