Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

पुनर्निनिंद चात्मानं धर्मपीठ प्रभावतः । धिङ्मां दुर्जनसंसर्गं त्यक्तसज्जनसंगमम्

Transliteration

punarniniṃda cātmānaṃ dharmapīṭha prabhāvataḥ | dhiṅmāṃ durjanasaṃsargaṃ tyaktasajjanasaṃgamam

Translation

ധർമ്മപീഠത്തിന്റെ പ്രഭാവത്താൽ അവൻ വീണ്ടും സ്വയം തന്നെ ശാസിച്ചു—“ധിക് എനിക്ക്! ഞാൻ ദുഷ്ടരുടെ കൂട്ടുകെട്ടിൽ ചേർന്നു; സജ്ജനരുടെ സത്സംഗം ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചു।”

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• निनिन्द: (he) reproached, blamed
• निनिन्द: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निन्द् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आत्मानम्: himself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• धर्मपीठ: seat/center of dharma
• धर्मपीठ: None
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + पीठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (पाठानुसार अव्यक्त), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य पीठम्)

• प्रभावतः: due to the power/influence
• प्रभावतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (because of)

• धिङ्: shame! fie!
• धिङ्: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिङ् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक-अव्यय (interjection of censure)

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

• दुर्जनसंसर्गम्: association with wicked people
• दुर्जनसंसर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्जन + संसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दुर्जनानां संसर्गः)

• त्यक्त: having abandoned
• त्यक्त: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (संगमम् इति)

• सज्जनसंगमम्: company of good people
• सज्जनसंगमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सज्जन + संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सज्जनानां संगमः)

Speaker

Skanda (narration context: Kāśīkhaṇḍa, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharma-pīṭha / Dharmēśvara (within Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king stands before a dharma-seat/shrine, head bowed, expression of remorse; shadowy figures representing ‘wicked company’ recede, while luminous sages symbolize ‘good fellowship’.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmapīṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy places and Dharma-centered spaces awaken self-critique, urging one to abandon bad company and embrace the virtuous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dharmapīṭha/Dharmasthāna within Kāśī’s sacred landscape (connected to Dharmēśvara in this episode).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the instruction is ethical—seek sajjana-saṅga and avoid durjana-saṅga.