Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

धारणं चैव केशानामंजनं च विलेपनम् । असतीजनसंसर्गं पांडित्यं च परित्यजेत्

Transliteration

dhāraṇaṃ caiva keśānāmaṃjanaṃ ca vilepanam | asatījanasaṃsargaṃ pāṃḍityaṃ ca parityajet

Translation

Qu’elle s’abstienne des coiffures élaborées, du collyre (añjana) et des onctions cosmétiques ; de la fréquentation des gens immoraux ; et qu’elle renonce aussi à l’ostentation du savoir.

Word by Word

• धारणम्: wearing/keeping
• धारणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृ (धातु) + अन (प्रत्यय) → धारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक-नाम (act of holding/wearing)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: also/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• केशानाम्: of hair
• केशानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• अञ्जनम्: collyrium/anointing
• अञ्जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अञ्ज् (धातु) + अन (प्रत्यय) → अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाव/द्रव्यवाचक (collyrium/anointing)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• विलेपनम्: smearing/applying cosmetics
• विलेपनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि + लिप् (धातु) + अन (प्रत्यय) → विलेपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (smearing/applying unguent)

• असतीजनसंसर्गम्: association with unchaste people
• असतीजनसंसर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असती + जन + संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (असतीजनस्य संसर्गः)

• पांडित्यम्: scholarship/learned display
• पांडित्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• परित्यजेत्: should abandon
• परित्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (niyama: alaṅkāra-tyāga, asat-saṅga-varjana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim sets aside combs, collyrium, perfumes, and ornaments; she sits with a small group of sādhus, listening quietly, while a boastful scholar figure is shown as a cautionary contrast.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha-vrata is protected by simplicity, good company, and humility rather than adornment or self-display.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra within the Skanda Purana’s Prabhāsa māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Renunciation of adornment (hair/cosmetics), avoidance of immoral association, and giving up showy ‘pāṇḍitya’ during yātrā.