Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

संदेशैर्दारुणैर्जिह्वा येषामुत्पाट्यते मुहुः । वाग्लोपनिरता ह्येते मृषावादपरायणाः

Transliteration

saṃdeśairdāruṇairjihvā yeṣāmutpāṭyate muhuḥ | vāglopaniratā hyete mṛṣāvādaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Durch schreckliche Befehle werden ihre Zungen immer wieder herausgerissen; dies sind jene, die sich dem Ruin der Sprache widmen – jene, die der Falschheit verfallen sind.

Word by Word

• संदेशैः: with messages/commands
• संदेशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण

• दारुणैः: cruel
• दारुणैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• जिह्वा: the tongue
• जिह्वा: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• उत्पाट्यते: is torn out
• उत्पाट्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पाट् (धातु) with उद्- (उत्)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Kriya-Visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• वाक्-लोप-निरताः: engaged in suppressing speech
• वाक्-लोप-निरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + लोप (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘निरत’ = engaged; तत्पुरुष समास

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात

• एते: these (people)
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मृषा-वाद-परायणाः: devoted to false speech/lying
• मृषा-वाद-परायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृषा (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक ‘false’) + वाद (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष समास; ‘परायण’ = devoted to

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a brāhmaṇa (dvijottama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic punishment scene: Yamadūtas executing harsh commands; the liar’s tongue is repeatedly torn—an allegory of speech abused and therefore disciplined by cosmic law.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truthful speech is a pillar of dharma; habitual lying and corrupting speech is depicted as leading to painful karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching appears within the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, reinforcing moral disciplines aligned with sacred pilgrimage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the implied practice is satya-vrata (commitment to truth) and vāk-śuddhi (purity of speech).