Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

तवापि दुष्टसंपर्कात्संक्रांतं सर्वमेवहि । व्यालेभ्योऽनेकजिह्वत्वं भस्मनः स्नेहवन्ध्यता

Transliteration

tavāpi duṣṭasaṃparkātsaṃkrāṃtaṃ sarvamevahi | vyālebhyo'nekajihvatvaṃ bhasmanaḥ snehavandhyatā

Translation

നിനക്കിലും നിശ്ചയം ദുഷ്ടസമ്പർക്കം മൂലം എല്ലാം സംക്രാന്തമായി—സർപ്പങ്ങളിൽ നിന്ന് ബഹുജിഹ്വത്വം, ഭസ്മത്തിൽ നിന്ന് സ്നേഹവന്ധ്യത।

Word by Word

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• दुष्ट-संपर्कात्: from evil association/contact
• दुष्ट-संपर्कात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (दुष्टस्य संपर्कः)

• संक्रान्तम्: transferred/affected
• संक्रान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+क्रम् (धातु) → संक्रान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restrictive particle)

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (causal/emphatic particle)

• व्यालेभ्यः: from serpents
• व्यालेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अनेक-जिह्वत्वम्: many-tonguedness
• अनेक-जिह्वत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक) + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक-तद्धित (abstract noun in -त्व); समासः—तत्पुरुष (अनेकाः जिह्वाः यस्य/अनेकजिह्वा → अनेकजिह्वत्व)

• भस्मनः: from ash
• भस्मनः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्नेह-वन्ध्यता: barrenness of affection (lack of love)
• स्नेह-वन्ध्यता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक) + वन्ध्यता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्नेहस्य वन्ध्यता)

Speaker

Girijā/Sailajā (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sharp-tongued speaker censures a Śaiva-ascetic figure by pointing to serpents and ash as sources of ‘transferred’ traits—many-tonguedness and loveless dryness—set against a stark, ash-grey background.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Serpents (Nāga)
• Bhasma (sacred ash)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association shapes expression and temperament; one should cultivate uplifting contact and guard speech and compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse uses Shaiva emblems (nāga, bhasma) for moral symbolism.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; bhasma is referenced iconographically, not as a vrata instruction here.