Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

गुरवो निर्मलाः शांताः साधवो मितभाषिणः । कामक्रोधविनिर्मुक्ताः सदाचारा जितेंद्रियाः

Transliteration

guravo nirmalāḥ śāṃtāḥ sādhavo mitabhāṣiṇaḥ | kāmakrodhavinirmuktāḥ sadācārā jiteṃdriyāḥ

Translation

Les véritables maîtres sont purs et paisibles : saints sādhus, mesurés dans la parole, affranchis du désir et de la colère, établis dans la bonne conduite et maîtres de leurs sens.

Word by Word

• guravaḥ: gurus/teachers
• guravaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• nirmalāḥ: pure
• nirmalāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirmala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (guravaḥ)

• śāntāḥ: peaceful
• śāntāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (कृदन्त; √śam धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (calmed/peaceful)

• sādhavaḥ: good/virtuous people
• sādhavaḥ: Karta (Appositional subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sādhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• mita-bhāṣiṇaḥ: speaking moderately
• mita-bhāṣiṇaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mita (कृदन्त; √mā धातु) + bhāṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—मितं भाषते इति/मितं भाषणं येषां ते (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय)

• kāma-krodha-vinirmuktāḥ: freed from desire and anger
• kāma-krodha-vinirmuktāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + vinirmukta (कृदन्त; vi+nir+√muc धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कामक्रोधाभ्यां विनिर्मुक्ताः (पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष); 'विनिर्मुक्त' = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• sad-ācārāḥ: of good conduct
• sad-ācārāḥ: Karta (Predicate noun/adjective)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + ācāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सदाचारः = सत् आचारः)

• jita-indriyāḥ: having conquered the senses; self-controlled
• jita-indriyāḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jita (कृदन्त; √ji धातु) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—इन्द्रियाणि जितानि येषां ते (बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थे प्रयोगः, परन्तु रूपतः उपपद-तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-प्राय); 'जित' = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa in Brāhma Khaṇḍa framing)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Portrait-like depiction of an ideal guru: calm eyes, simple dress, rudrākṣa, minimal possessions; disciples nearby, atmosphere of discipline and peace.

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual authority is grounded in purity, self-control, and dharmic conduct, not mere learning or status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the focus is on guru-lakṣaṇa (the marks of an authentic teacher).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes ethical qualifications for gurus—freedom from kāma and krodha, restraint, and sense-control.