Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

ईक्षणे परिहर्त्तव्या किमु संभाषणादिषु । सत्संगरहितां चंडां कथमेनां निनीषथ

Transliteration

īkṣaṇe pariharttavyā kimu saṃbhāṣaṇādiṣu | satsaṃgarahitāṃ caṃḍāṃ kathamenāṃ ninīṣatha

Translation

Man soll sie schon beim bloßen Anblick meiden—wie erst beim Gespräch und dergleichen. Ohne Satsaṅga, hart und gefallen—wie wollt ihr sie da zum höchsten Ziel führen?

Word by Word

• īkṣaṇe: in (mere) looking/at the sight
• īkṣaṇe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• parihartavyā: to be avoided
• parihartavyā: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√hṛ (परि + हृ धातु) → parihartavya (कृदन्त/तव्यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), ‘परिहर्तव्या’ = त्याज्या

• kim: what (then)
• kim: Sambandha (Question/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (idiomatically ‘what then/more so’)

• u: indeed/then
• u: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: u (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle), ‘किमु’ = ‘किं पुनः/किं उ’

• saṃbhāṣaṇa-ādiṣu: in conversation and the like
• saṃbhāṣaṇa-ādiṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃbhāṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘संभाषणं आदि यस्मिन्/येषु’ (ādi as ‘etc.’)

• sat-saṃga-rahitām: devoid of good company
• sat-saṃga-rahitām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃga (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘सत्सङ्गेन रहिता’

• caṇḍām: a fierce/low woman (caṇḍā)
• caṇḍām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (Question/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• enām: her
• enām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enām = इमाम्)

• ninīṣatha: do you wish to lead/take
• ninīṣatha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (नी धातु) + desiderative ninīṣ (सन्नन्त)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; सन्नन्त

Speaker

Unspecified narrator/speaker addressing Śiva’s messengers (context: a questioning interlocutor)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sat-saṅga (as a ‘moving tīrtha’)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary scene: the ‘caṇḍā’ figure stands isolated at the edge of a gathering of sages; the speaker gestures that she should be avoided even by sight; the satsang circle glows with calm, while the isolated figure is shown with rough demeanor and shadowed tones.

Characters & Entities

• Sat-saṅga
• Śivadūta (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse voices a conventional judgment based on association and status, which the story challenges through Śiva’s unexpected compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the emphasis is on satsaṅga and moral perception.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the implied spiritual discipline is satsaṅga (keeping company with the holy).