Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

प्रभुवाक्यं स्मृतं यच्च सबाह्याभ्यंतरं शुचि । सुहृद्वाक्यं तथा शौचं पालयेत्स्वर्गकांक्षया

Transliteration

prabhuvākyaṃ smṛtaṃ yacca sabāhyābhyaṃtaraṃ śuci | suhṛdvākyaṃ tathā śaucaṃ pālayetsvargakāṃkṣayā

Translation

Gedenke der Worte des Meisters und wahre Reinheit — äußerlich wie innerlich. Ebenso höre auf das Wort des wahren Freundes und bewahre die Sauberkeit, wenn du den Himmel (höhere Welten) begehrst.

Word by Word

• prabhu-vākyam: the master's instruction
• prabhu-vākyam: Karta (Topic/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• smṛtam: is stated/remembered
• smṛtam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smṛta (प्रातिपदिक; √smṛ (स्मृ) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (remembered/declared)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sa-bāhya-ābhyantaram: with outer and inner (aspects)
• sa-bāhya-ābhyantaram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह/स- उपसर्गवत्) + bāhya (प्रातिपदिक) + ābhyantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (outer and inner) with सहार्थक 'sa-'

• śuci: pure
• śuci: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• suhṛd-vākyam: a friend's advice
• suhṛd-vākyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛt (प्रातिपदिक) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• śaucam: purity, cleanliness
• śaucam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śauca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• pālayet: should observe, should maintain
• pālayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pāl (पाल् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• svarga-kāṃkṣayā: with desire for heaven
• svarga-kāṃkṣayā: Hetu (Cause/Motive/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṃkṣā (प्रातिपदिक; √kāṅkṣ (काङ्क्ष्))
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेतौ तृतीया (instrumental of motive)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim performs ablutions and then sits in meditation, showing outer and inner purity; a master’s written injunction and a friend’s gentle counsel appear as guiding presences.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and obedience to righteous guidance are essential disciplines that elevate one’s destiny.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred place is mentioned; the verse teaches universal dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śauca (cleanliness/purity) is prescribed as a daily observance, both outwardly and inwardly.