Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

परीवादं परान्नं च नीचसङ्गं विवर्जयेत् । व्रजेच्च निरुपानत्को वसानो वाससी शुचिः

Transliteration

parīvādaṃ parānnaṃ ca nīcasaṅgaṃ vivarjayet | vrajecca nirupānatko vasāno vāsasī śuciḥ

Translation

Qu’on évite la médisance, la nourriture donnée par autrui et la compagnie des gens vils. Qu’on chemine sans chaussures, vêtu d’habits purs, demeurant dans la pureté.

Word by Word

• परीवादम्: slander, backbiting
• परीवादम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परीवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular

• परान्नम्: food of others
• परान्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-अन्न (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular; परस्य अन्नम् (others' food)

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

• नीचसङ्गम्: association with the base/low
• नीचसङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीच-सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular; नीचानां सङ्गः (company of the low)

• विवर्जयेत्: should avoid
• विवर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि√वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada; ‘should avoid’

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada; ‘should go’

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

• निरुपानत्कः: barefoot
• निरुपानत्कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-उपानत् (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गयुक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; ‘without footwear’

• वसानः: wearing
• वसानः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वस् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; ‘wearing’

• वाससी: (two) garments
• वाससी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; accusative dual; ‘two garments’

• शुचिः: pure, clean
• शुचिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular; ‘pure/clean’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha (general)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary pilgrim on a riverbank path, barefoot, in clean white garments, turning away from a group engaged in gossip; the river glints nearby, with a small bundle and water-pot (kamaṇḍalu).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner purity (speech and association) and outer purity (food, dress) together sustain the sanctity of pilgrimage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

General tīrtha conduct is taught within the Revā/Narmadā section rather than a single named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid slander, avoid others’ food and low company, and travel barefoot with clean clothing.