Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

क्षमां केचित्प्रशंसंति तथैव भृशमार्ज्जवम् । केचिन्मौनं प्रशंसंति केचिदाहुः परं श्रुतम्

Transliteration

kṣamāṃ kecitpraśaṃsaṃti tathaiva bhṛśamārjjavam | kecinmaunaṃ praśaṃsaṃti kecidāhuḥ paraṃ śrutam

Translation

ചിലർ ക്ഷമയെ പ്രശംസിക്കുന്നു; അതുപോലെ മഹത്തായ ആർജവം—നേര്മയും. ചിലർ മൗനത്തെ പുകഴ്ത്തുന്നു; ചിലർ ശ്രുതി-ജ്ഞാനമാണ് പരമമെന്ന് പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• क्षमाम्: forbearance
• क्षमाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचनार्थे; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• प्रशंसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः: प्र-

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• भृशम्: greatly, exceedingly
• भृशम्: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb)

• आर्जवम्: straightforwardness, sincerity
• आर्जवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्जव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचनार्थे; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• मौनम्: silence
• मौनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मौन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रशंसन्ति: praise
• प्रशंसन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः: प्र-

• केचित्: some (people)
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचनार्थे; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम

• आहुः: say
• आहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• परम्: supreme, highest
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (श्रुतम्-विशेषण)

• श्रुतम्: scriptural learning / what is heard (śruti)
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; 'that which is heard' (वेद/श्रुति/श्रवण-ज्ञान)

Speaker

Narrative voice (context not explicit in snippet; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa per Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A calm teacher gestures gently while enumerating virtues; symbolic imagery: a forgiving figure calming anger (kṣamā), a straight path/arrow (ārjava), a silent ascetic with finger to lips (mauna), and a disciple listening to recitation (śruti).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Different seekers emphasize different virtues—ethical conduct, restraint, or scriptural wisdom—highlighting the need to discern the true highest good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it commends virtues like kṣamā (forbearance) and mauna (silence).