Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

आलापाद्गात्रसंपर्कान्निःश्वासात्सहभोजनात् । पापं संक्रमते यस्मात्तस्मात्तान् परिवर्जयेत्

Transliteration

ālāpādgātrasaṃparkānniḥśvāsātsahabhojanāt | pāpaṃ saṃkramate yasmāttasmāttān parivarjayet

Translation

Par la parole échangée, le contact des membres, même le souffle partagé et le repas pris ensemble, le péché se transmet, dit-on ; c’est pourquoi il faut éviter de telles personnes.

Word by Word

• आलापात्: from conversation/talking
• आलापात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• गात्र-संपर्कात्: from bodily contact
• गात्र-संपर्कात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गात्रस्य संपर्कः)

• निःश्वासात्: from breathing/exhalation
• निःश्वासात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निःश्वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• सह-भोजनात्: from eating together
• सह-भोजनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह (अव्यय) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (सह भोजनम्)

• पापम्: sin/evil
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन

• संक्रमते: passes/transfers
• संक्रमते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यस्मात्: because/from which (reason)
• यस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तान्: those (persons)
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• परिवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• परिवर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि+वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrthas (general)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhārata/Arjuna (vocative context in nearby verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at a riverside tīrtha turns away from a group engaged in coarse talk and shared drinking/eating, choosing instead the company of calm ascetics and brāhmaṇas; the river flows as a symbol of purification.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma emphasizes that character and purity are contagious; spiritual practice requires guarding one’s associations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is given within the Vārāha Tīrtha observance instructions in Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoidance (parivarjana) of impure company—no intimate contact or shared meals during the vow.