Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

अहो कष्टमिदं कूक्तं तीर्थराजेन मोहतः । सन्तोऽपि न गुणा वाच्याः स्वयं सद्भिः स्वका यतः

Transliteration

aho kaṣṭamidaṃ kūktaṃ tīrtharājena mohataḥ | santo'pi na guṇā vācyāḥ svayaṃ sadbhiḥ svakā yataḥ

Translation

Alas—how grievous is this utterance, spoken in delusion by the “king of tīrthas”! For even when one truly possesses virtues, the good do not proclaim their own qualities, since they are one’s own.

Word by Word

• अहो: alas/oh
• अहो: Sambandha (Interjection/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मय/खेदसूचक निपात (interjection)

• कष्टम्: a hardship/terrible thing
• कष्टम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular; विशेषणम् (कष्टम्)

• कूक्तम्: ill-spoken
• कूक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कु + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘badly spoken/ill-said’ (agreeing with कष्टम्/इदम्)

• तीर्थ-राजेन: by the king of tīrthas
• तीर्थ-राजेन: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मोहतः: out of delusion
• मोहतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Ablative, Singular; हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause)

• सन्तः: good people/being virtuous
• सन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) ‘being’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

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

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

• गुणाः: qualities/merits
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वाच्याः: should be spoken
• वाच्याः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligation); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘to be spoken/should be spoken’

• स्वयम्: by oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (by oneself)

• सद्भिः: by the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्वकाः: one’s own
• स्वकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; विधेय-विशेषणम् (गुणाः)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (because/since)

Speaker

Dharma (Dharma-deva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharma addresses the assembly with a composed yet firm expression, gently chastising the tīrtha-rāja for deluded self-praise; the tīrtha-rāja appears chastened, the assembly attentive.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Tīrtharāja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-praise is a mark of delusion; true goodness is modest and does not advertise itself.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha identified as “Tīrtharāja” is discussed, in the context of how pride can diminish a place’s renown.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse teaches ethical restraint in speech, especially regarding one’s own merit.