Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

साधुवाप्यथवाऽसाधु प्रमाणं नः श्रुतिः परा । एवमुक्ते स च नरः प्रहसन्दक्षिणेन च

Transliteration

sādhuvāpyathavā'sādhu pramāṇaṃ naḥ śrutiḥ parā | evamukte sa ca naraḥ prahasandakṣiṇena ca

Translation

Whether it seems proper or improper, for us the supreme authority is Śruti, the sacred revelation. When this was said, that man laughed, gesturing with his right hand as well.

Word by Word

• साधु: proper, right
• साधु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; विशेषणरूपेण (indeclinable-like adjectival use), अर्थतः ‘सत्/उचितम्’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: ‘or’)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (particle: ‘also/even’)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (alternative: ‘or else’)

• असाधु: improper, wrong
• असाधु: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असाधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; विशेषणरूपेण (indeclinable-like adjectival use), अर्थतः ‘अयुक्तम्/असत्’

• प्रमाणम्: authority, valid means (of knowledge)
• प्रमाणम्: Karma/Predicative (Object/Predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc. sg.)

• नः: our/of us
• नः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural: ‘of us/our’)

• श्रुतिः: Śruti (Vedic revelation)
• श्रुतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom. sg.)

• परा: supreme, highest
• परा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom. sg.); श्रुतिः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘thus’)

• उक्ते: when (it was) said
• उक्ते: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Locative sg. neuter); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; ‘एवम् उक्ते’ = ‘when this was said’

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom. sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction: ‘and’)

• नरः: man
• नरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom. sg.)

• प्रहसन्: laughing
• प्रहसन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त) → प्रहसत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (present active participle); ‘laughing’

• दक्षिणेन: with the right (hand/side)
• दक्षिणेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental sg. neuter); ‘with the right (hand/side)’

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

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composed brāhmaṇa asserts śruti’s supremacy; an opposing man responds with a mocking laugh and a right-hand gesture, foreshadowing a display of power.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is to be measured by śruti (revelation), not by shifting personal likes or social persuasion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is named in this verse; it frames a debate on authority in dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse establishes śruti as the guiding standard in deciding right practice.