Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

वाचोवेगं मनावेगं जिह्वावेगं च वर्ज येत् । गुह्यजान्यपि लोमानि तत्स्पर्शादशुचिर्भवेत

Transliteration

vācovegaṃ manāvegaṃ jihvāvegaṃ ca varja yet | guhyajānyapi lomāni tatsparśādaśucirbhaveta

Translation

One should restrain the impulsiveness of speech, the impulsiveness of the mind, and the impulsiveness of the tongue. Even the hairs born in the secret parts—by touching them one becomes impure.

Word by Word

• वाचः: of speech
• वाचः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेगम्: impulse, force
• वेगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मनः: of the mind
• मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेगम्: impulse
• वेगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जिह्वा: of the tongue
• जिह्वा: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वेगम्: impulse
• वेगम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• गुह्यजानि: secret things
• गुह्यजानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य + जानि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुह्यस्य जानि)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

• लोमानि: hairs
• लोमानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (सम्बन्धे)

• स्पर्शात्: from contact
• स्पर्शात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• अशुचिः: impure
• अशुचिः: Kartṛ-predicative (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (भवेत् इत्यस्य कर्तृ-सम्बन्धे)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined ascetic/pilgrim seated in meditation, one hand raised in restraint, with symbolic depiction of ‘three impulses’ (speech, mind, tongue) subdued; nearby a bathing area indicating śauca observance.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity is both inner and outer: control of impulses and careful observance of cleanliness support dharma and spiritual steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on śauca (purity) and self-restraint.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes restraint of mental and verbal impulses and indicates contact-based impurity requiring cleanliness awareness.