Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 72

Devanagari script

गवां क्षीरं प्रदातव्यं जिह्वाशोधनमुत्तमम् । जिह्वापरीक्षणं कुर्याद्दग्धा चेन्न तु विमोच्यते

Transliteration

gavāṃ kṣīraṃ pradātavyaṃ jihvāśodhanamuttamam | jihvāparīkṣaṇaṃ kuryāddagdhā cenna tu vimocyate

Translation

പശുവിൻ പാൽ നൽകണം—അത് നാവിനെ ശുദ്ധീകരിക്കുന്ന ഉത്തമ മാർഗമാണ്. നാവ് പരിശോധിക്കണം; അത് പൊള്ളിയാൽ അവനെ വിട്ടയക്കരുത്.

Word by Word

• गवाम्: of cows
• गवाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे षष्ठी बहुवचनम्

• क्षीरम्: milk
• क्षीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• प्रदातव्यम्: should be given
• प्रदातव्यम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + √दा (धातु) तव्यत् (कृत्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (तव्यत्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; विधेयार्थः ("should be given")

• जिह्वा-शोधनम्: purification of the tongue
• जिह्वा-शोधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + शोधन (प्रातिपदिक; √शुध् (धातु) ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जिह्वायाः शोधनम्)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• जिह्वा-परिक्षणम्: examination of the tongue
• जिह्वा-परिक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + परिक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; परि + √ईक्ष् (धातु) ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जिह्वायाः परिक्षणम्)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• दग्धा: burnt
• दग्धा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध (कृदन्त; √दह् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (जिह्वा-सम्बन्धे)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Clause-link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त-निबन्धक (conditional particle)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (but/indeed)

• विमोच्यते: is released/freed
• विमोच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive sense)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After the ordeal, attendants offer cow’s milk to the accused; the officiant inspects the tongue under lamplight; the decision of release hinges on whether burning is visible.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma links inner truth to outward signs; compassion (milk as soothing purifier) accompanies strict moral discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is described; this is a procedural instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Give cow’s milk for tongue-cleansing and assess the tongue; a burn mark implies the person is not acquitted.