Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

स्त्रीपुत्रमित्रसुहृदामाशाच्छेदकराश्च ये । जनस्याप्रियवक्तारः क्रूराः समयभेदिनः

Transliteration

strīputramitrasuhṛdāmāśācchedakarāśca ye | janasyāpriyavaktāraḥ krūrāḥ samayabhedinaḥ

Translation

যারা স্ত্রী, পুত্র, বন্ধু ও সুহৃদের আশা ভেঙে দেয়, জনের কাছে অপ্রিয় কথা বলে, নিষ্ঠুর হয় এবং প্রতিশ্রুতি-নিয়ম ভঙ্গ করে—তারা পাপী বলে গণ্য।

Word by Word

• स्त्रीपुत्रमित्रसुहृदाम्: of (their) women, sons, friends, and well-wishers
• स्त्रीपुत्रमित्रसुहृदाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सुहृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-समाहारद्वन्द्वार्थे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (स्त्रियश्च पुत्राश्च मित्राणि च सुहृदश्च)

• आशाच्छेदकराः: destroyers of hopes
• आशाच्छेदकराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आशा (प्रातिपदिक) + छेद (प्रातिपदिक; √छिद् धातु ‘to cut’) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (आशायाः छेदं करोति इति)

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

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• जनस्य: of people / of the public
• जनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अप्रियवक्तारः: speakers of unpleasant words
• अप्रियवक्तारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक; अ + प्रिय) + वक्तृ (प्रातिपदिक; √वच् धातु ‘to speak’ + तृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (अप्रियं वक्ति इति वक्ता)

• क्रूराः: cruel
• क्रूराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• समयभेदिनः: breakers of agreements/pledges
• समयभेदिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समय (प्रातिपदिक) + भेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक; √भिद् धातु ‘to break/split’ + इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (समयं भिनत्ति इति)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Interlocutor within Kaumārikākhaṇḍa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral scene of community life: a householder comforts family and honors a promise; contrasted with a cruel figure speaking harshly and turning away from supplicants; the ‘code of trust’ symbolized by a sealed agreement or clasped hands.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes kindness, truthful and beneficial speech, and honoring commitments toward those who depend on us.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; it is a moral teaching applicable to all tīrtha and vrata contexts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ethical restraint—avoid cruelty, harmful speech, and betrayal; no ritual act is specified.