Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

उच्चासनं न सेवेत न व्रजेत्परवेश्मसु । तत्र पारुष्यवाक्यानि ब्रूयान्नैव कदाचन

Transliteration

uccāsanaṃ na seveta na vrajetparaveśmasu | tatra pāruṣyavākyāni brūyānnaiva kadācana

Translation

Sie soll keinen erhöhten Sitz einnehmen und nicht in fremde Häuser gehen; und dort niemals harte, verletzende Worte sprechen.

Word by Word

• उच्चासनम्: a high seat
• उच्चासनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उच्च (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (उच्चं आसनम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• सेवेत: should use/serve
• सेवेत: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सेव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

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

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• परवेश्मसु: in others' houses
• परवेश्मसु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + वेश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (परस्य वेश्मसु), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• पारुष्यवाक्यानि: harsh words
• पारुष्यवाक्यानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पारुष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पारुष्यस्य वाक्यानि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ब्रूयात्: should speak
• ब्रूयात्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

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

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• कदाचन: ever, at any time
• कदाचन: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Unspecified (Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa narrative voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa conveying dharma-teaching)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtyard or village lane: a woman declines an elevated seat offered by neighbors, stands modestly, hands folded; the atmosphere emphasizes restraint and gentle speech.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes modest conduct, restraint, and gentle speech as foundations of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the verse focuses on ethical discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it prescribes behavioral vows—seat, movement, and speech restraint.