Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

उभयोः समनां ज्ञात्वा वृथा जल्पसि दुर्मते । यथोक्तः स त्ववादीन्मां वदनार्थे बलोद्धतः

Transliteration

ubhayoḥ samanāṃ jñātvā vṛthā jalpasi durmate | yathoktaḥ sa tvavādīnmāṃ vadanārthe baloddhataḥ

Translation

Sachant que nous sommes égaux tous deux, tu bavardes en vain, esprit mauvais. Ainsi interpellé, celui-là, gonflé de sa force, me parla, ne cherchant que la dispute.

Word by Word

• उभयोः: of both
• उभयोः: Sambandha (Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Gen/Loc), द्विवचन; ‘of/between both’

• समनाम्: equality/sameness
• समनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (अर्थ: समानता/समता)

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund): ‘having known’

• वृथा: in vain
• वृथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक अव्यय (adverb: in vain)

• जल्पसि: you prattle/speak
• जल्पसि: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जल्प् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दुर्मते: O evil-minded one
• दुर्मते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: दु: + मति (whose mind is bad)

• यथोक्तः: as said/according to what was said
• यथोक्तः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा + उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव: यथा + उक्त; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha/Contrast
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• अवादीत्: said/spoke
• अवादीत्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वदनार्थे: in the matter of speaking
• वदनार्थे: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदनार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: वदन + अर्थ

• बलोद्धतः: puffed up with strength/arrogant
• बलोद्धतः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बल + उद्धत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: बल(ेन) उद्धत; विशेषण

Speaker

Nandīśvara (narrating; includes Nandin’s rebuke and Rāvaṇa’s response)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Frame inquirers (mahātmans) implied

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sharp admonition: ‘Knowing us equal, you prattle in vain’; the opponent, swollen with strength, prepares to continue arguing.

Characters & Entities

• Nandīśvara
• Rāvaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vain disputation and pride in strength are condemned; dharma favors measured speech rooted in truth and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Śaiva sacred geography forms the context, where proper conduct and speech are part of tīrtha-dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse teaches ethical discipline—especially restraint in speech and argument.