Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 163

Devanagari script

आलभेद्दक्षिणं कर्णं सर्वभूतानि क्षामयेत् । न चापि नीलीवासाः स्यान्न विपर्यस्तवस्त्रधृक्

Transliteration

ālabheddakṣiṇaṃ karṇaṃ sarvabhūtāni kṣāmayet | na cāpi nīlīvāsāḥ syānna viparyastavastradhṛk

Translation

Er soll sein rechtes Ohr berühren und alle Wesen um Vergebung bitten. Er soll keine blauen Gewänder tragen und die Kleidung weder verkehrt herum noch unschicklich angeordnet tragen.

Word by Word

• आलभेत्: should touch/lay hold of
• आलभेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• दक्षिणम्: right
• दक्षिणम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• कर्णम्: ear
• कर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative singular)

• सर्वभूतानि: all beings
• सर्वभूतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: सर्वाणि भूतानि (all beings)

• क्षामयेत्: should seek forgiveness (from)
• क्षामयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम् (धातु, क्षमायाम्) / क्षामय् (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): should cause to forgive / should ask forgiveness

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

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• नीलीवासाः: one wearing blue clothes
• नीलीवासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीलि/नील (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (intended); बहुव्रीहिः: नीलं वासो यस्य सः (one whose garment is blue)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

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

• विपर्यस्तवस्त्रधृक्: one wearing clothes wrongly
• विपर्यस्तवस्त्रधृक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपर्यस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + धृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः: विपर्यस्तं वस्त्रं धत्ते इति (one who wears clothes improperly/inside-out)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands with folded hands, touching the right ear in a gesture of expiation, offering universal forgiveness; attendants adjust garments neatly, avoiding inauspicious colors and disorder before entering a temple.

Characters & Entities

• Sarvabhūta (all beings)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and non-harm: regularly seek forgiveness from all beings and maintain orderly, pure conduct even in dress.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned; it is a general code of Śaiva conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Touch the right ear as a gesture and ask forgiveness of all beings; avoid blue clothing and avoid wearing garments improperly (reversed).