Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

कस्यचिन्नैव कर्माणि शपते वा प्रशंसति । नानामार्गस्थितांल्लोकांश्चन्द्रवल्लीयते क्षितौ

Transliteration

kasyacinnaiva karmāṇi śapate vā praśaṃsati | nānāmārgasthitāṃllokāṃścandravallīyate kṣitau

Translation

Er tadelt niemandes Handlungen und preist sie auch nicht. Unter Menschen, die auf vielerlei Wegen stehen, bleibt er auf Erden wie der Mond: unberührt, kühl und makellos.

Word by Word

• कस्यचित्: of anyone
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6), एकवचन; indefinite genitive ‘of anyone’

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

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

• कर्माणि: actions/deeds
• कर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2), बहुवचन; accusative plural

• शपते: curses
• शपते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; present indicative ‘curses’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय; disjunctive particle ‘or’

• प्रशंसति: praises
• प्रशंसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; present indicative ‘praises’

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय; indeclinable ‘various’ (used adjectivally)

• मार्गस्थितान्: situated on (different) paths
• मार्गस्थितान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मार्ग + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक); √स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (मार्गे स्थिताः)

• लोकान्: people/worlds
• लोकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2), बहुवचन; accusative plural

• चन्द्रवत्: like the moon
• चन्द्रवत्: Sambandha (Adverbial comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चन्द्र + वत् (तद्धित-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय; indeclinable comparative ‘like the moon’

• लीयते: merges/dissolves
• लीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ली (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; present indicative ‘dissolves/merges’

• क्षितौ: on earth/in the ground
• क्षितौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7), एकवचन; locative singular

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced; Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wandering sage walks through a bustling crossroads where different groups worship in different ways; above, a full moon shines, symbolizing his cool detachment; he remains serene, neither approving nor condemning.

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A mature seeker avoids praising or blaming others and stays inwardly pure while living among diverse beliefs.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches general Shaiva virtues within the Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the focus is on ethical-spiritual discipline (non-judgment and detachment).