Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

कर्णनासिकनाराचान्निर्हरंति शरीरतः । वाक्छल्यस्तु न निर्हर्तुं शक्यो हृदिशयो हि सः

Transliteration

karṇanāsikanārācānnirharaṃti śarīrataḥ | vākchalyastu na nirhartuṃ śakyo hṛdiśayo hi saḥ

Translation

Pfeile, die im Ohr oder in der Nase stecken, können aus dem Körper gezogen werden; aber der Dorn der Rede kann nicht entfernt werden, denn er liegt tief im Herzen.

Word by Word

• कर्णनासिकनाराचान्: darts (piercing) ear and nose
• कर्णनासिकनाराचान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण + नासिका + नाराच (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); समाहार/निर्देशार्थ-तत्पुरुषः (कर्ण-नासिका-नाराचाः = ear-and-nose arrows/darts)

• निर्हरन्ति: they extract/remove
• निर्हरन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शरीरतः: from the body
• शरीरतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वाक्छल्यः: the thorn/dart of speech
• वाक्छल्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + शल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचः शल्यम्)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/however)

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

• निर्हर्तुम्: to remove
• निर्हर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्हृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), क्रियार्थ (to remove)

• शक्यः: possible, able (to be)
• शक्यः: Pradhana-visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• हृदि-शयः: lying in the heart
• हृदि-शयः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + शय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (हृदि शयः = lying in the heart)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• सः: it/he (that)
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Saṃvarta (contextual; Kaumārikākhaṇḍa narrative dialogue)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A healer removes arrows from a man’s ear and nose, while another figure clutches his chest where a glowing thorn labeled ‘vāk-śalya’ remains lodged; the heart is shown as a lotus pierced by a subtle spike.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Words can cause deep inner injury; therefore guarding one’s speech is essential to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred place is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the practical prescription is vāg-saṃyama (discipline of speech).