Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 75

Devanagari script

जिह्वालौल्यरताः सर्वे सर्वे ते पारमार्थिनः । निर्धना रोगिणश्चैते तस्करानृतभाषिणः

Transliteration

jihvālaulyaratāḥ sarve sarve te pāramārthinaḥ | nirdhanā rogiṇaścaite taskarānṛtabhāṣiṇaḥ

Translation

അവർ എല്ലാവരും ജിഹ്വാലൗല്യത്തിൽ (രുചിയും വാക്കിന്റെ ചാഞ്ചല്യവും) ആസക്തരായിട്ടും പരമാർത്ഥം പ്രസംഗിക്കുന്നു; ഇവർ ദരിദ്രരും രോഗികളും, കള്ളരും അസത്യഭാഷികളും ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• जिह्वालौल्यरताः: addicted to fickleness of the tongue (glib/talkative)
• जिह्वालौल्यरताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jihvā (प्रातिपदिक) + laulya (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः) ‘जिह्वा-लौल्य-रत’; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; पुनरुक्त-विशेषणम्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• पारमार्थिनः: seeking the highest truth/ultimate good
• पारमार्थिनः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāramārthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• निर्धनाः: poor
• निर्धनाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirdhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• रोगिणः: sick/ill
• रोगिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

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

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• तस्करानृतभाषिणः: thieves and speakers of untruth
• तस्करानृतभाषिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: taskara (प्रातिपदिक) + anṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (द्वन्द्वः/समाहारद्वन्द्व-प्रायः) ‘तस्कर’ + ‘अनृतभाषिन्’; पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual narrator within Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary scene: a group of ascetic-looking men speaking lofty words while indulging in rich food and sharp speech; in the background, signs of poverty and illness, and a shadowy act of theft—visualizing the verse’s moral diagnosis.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual talk without self-restraint and truthfulness is condemned; dharma requires integrity in speech and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse is an ethical characterization within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is moral discipline—satya (truth) and restraint of the tongue.