Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

वाचोवेगं मनोवेगं जिह्वावेगं च वर्जयेत् । उत्कोच द्यूत दौत्यार्त द्रव्यं दूरात्परित्यजेत्

Transliteration

vācovegaṃ manovegaṃ jihvāvegaṃ ca varjayet | utkoca dyūta dautyārta dravyaṃ dūrātparityajet

Translation

Qu’on réfrène l’élan de la parole, l’élan du mental et l’élan de la langue. Et qu’on rejette au loin les richesses acquises par pot-de-vin, jeu, entremise, ou par détresse et contrainte.

Word by Word

• vācaḥ-vegam: impulse of speech
• vācaḥ-vegam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचः वेगः) “impulse of speech”

• manaḥ-vegam: impulse of mind
• manaḥ-vegam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः “impulse of mind”

• jihvā-vegam: impulse of the tongue
• jihvā-vegam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jihvā (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः “impulse of the tongue”

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• varjayet: should avoid
• varjayet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛj (वृज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; “should avoid”

• utkoca: bribe
• utkoca: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utkoca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्/अव्ययीभाववत् सूचीकरणे (as item in list); “bribe”

• dyūta: gambling
• dyūta: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dyūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्/सूचीकरणे; “gambling”

• dautya-ārta: connected with brokerage/agency
• dautya-ārta: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dautya (प्रातिपदिक) + ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्/सूचीकरणे; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दौत्येन आर्तम्) “tainted by/connected with brokerage (pimping/agency)”

• dravyam: wealth/property
• dravyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; “wealth/property” (object of parityajet)

• dūrāt: from afar
• dūrāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/Distance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम् (ablatival adverb) “from afar/at a distance”

• parityajet: should abandon
• parityajet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; “should abandon”

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī stands at a crossroads: one path leads to a gambling den and bribery exchange; the other to a temple and a quiet ghat. He binds his tongue symbolically with a vow-thread, steadies his mind, and turns away from tainted coins.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner restraint and clean livelihood are pillars of dharma; uncontrolled impulses and tainted wealth corrode spiritual life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dharma-guidance, shaping conduct for those devoted to Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it prescribes ethical renunciation—reject bribery, gambling gains, and other harmful earnings as part of dharmic living.