Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

परस्परं दूषयंतो ह्यतत्त्वज्ञा बहिर्मुखाः । तस्मादेवं विदित्वाथ असत्यं गुणभेदतः

Transliteration

parasparaṃ dūṣayaṃto hyatattvajñā bahirmukhāḥ | tasmādevaṃ viditvātha asatyaṃ guṇabhedataḥ

Translation

En effet, ne connaissant pas la Vérité et tournés vers l’extérieur, ils se blâment mutuellement. Ainsi, l’ayant compris, sache que ce qui paraît “vrai”, selon les divisions des guṇas, n’est pas la Vérité suprême.

Word by Word

• परस्परम्: mutually; one another
• परस्परम्: Karma/Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• दूषयन्तः: defiling; blaming
• दूषयन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दूष् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदी—‘दूषयन्तः’ = ‘दूषयन्ति’ (they defile)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• अतत्त्वज्ञाः: ignorant of truth
• अतत्त्वज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-तत्त्व-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• बहिर्मुखाः: outward-facing; extroverted
• बहिर्मुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहिर्-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; बहिः + मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘बहिर्दृष्टयः’

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण हेत्वर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् (ablative used adverbially): ‘therefore/from that’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विदित्वा: having known
• विदित्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विद् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having known’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक निपात (then/now)

• असत्यम्: untruth; falsehood
• असत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-सत्य (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• गुणभेदतः: due to differences of guṇas
• गुणभेदतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुण-भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘भेदात्’ = ‘due to distinction’; ‘गुणानां भेदात्’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two groups of people arguing and pointing at each other, their speech depicted as sharp arrows; behind them, a sage indicates three colored streams (sattva/rajas/tamas) showing how ‘truth-claims’ split by guṇas; the Kedāra shrine stands as silent witness.

Characters & Entities

• Guṇas (sattva-rajas-tamas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outward fixation breeds quarrel; guṇa-conditioned perceptions are relative and cannot reveal the ultimate Reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra (Kedarnath) is the broader sacred frame where such non-dual, guṇa-transcending insight is taught.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; it prescribes discernment—turning inward from guṇa-based appearances.