Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

दंतकाष्ठेन देवेशि न जिह्वां परिमार्जयेत् । पृथक्पृथक्तदा कार्यं यदीच्छेद्विपुलं यशः

Transliteration

daṃtakāṣṭhena deveśi na jihvāṃ parimārjayet | pṛthakpṛthaktadā kāryaṃ yadīcchedvipulaṃ yaśaḥ

Translation

Ô Déesse, qu’on ne gratte pas la langue avec le bâtonnet à dents. Que chaque acte soit accompli séparément, si l’on souhaite une renommée abondante.

Word by Word

• दन्तकाष्ठेन: with the tooth-stick
• दन्तकाष्ठेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘दन्तानां काष्ठम्’ (instrumental singular: with a tooth-stick)

• देवेशि: O Deveśī
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा, एकवचन; संबोधन (vocative singular: O goddess/queen of gods)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable particle of negation)

• जिह्वाम्: tongue
• जिह्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine, accusative singular)

• परिमार्जयेत्: should clean/wipe
• परिमार्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + मृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should wipe/clean)

• पृथक्: separately
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भेदवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: separately)

• पृथक्: separately (each time)
• पृथक्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति-बल (repetition for emphasis)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (indeclinable adverb: then)

• कार्यम्: (it is) to be done / duty
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; कृ-धातोः ण्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (neuter sg: what is to be done)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Conditional/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (indeclinable conjunction: if)

• इच्छेत्: should desire
• इच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should desire)

• विपुलम्: abundant, great
• विपुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यशः-विशेषण (neuter, accusative singular)

• यशः: fame
• यशः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; address to Devī indicates a dialogic teaching frame within the māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee sets aside the tooth-stick and uses a separate tongue-cleaning implement, emphasizing orderly, distinct actions; the scene conveys neatness and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (Deveśī)
• Prabhāsakṣetra
• Dantakāṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values order and propriety: distinct rites should not be mixed, reflecting mindfulness and respect for prescribed practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where ritual etiquette is taught as part of its sanctifying tradition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Do not clean the tongue with the tooth-stick; perform each cleansing act separately for best religious merit and repute.