Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 129

Devanagari script

तांश्च सेवेद्विशेषेण शास्त्रं येषां हि विद्यते । असतां दर्शनस्पर्शसंजल्पासनभोजनैः

Transliteration

tāṃśca sevedviśeṣeṇa śāstraṃ yeṣāṃ hi vidyate | asatāṃ darśanasparśasaṃjalpāsanabhojanaiḥ

Translation

ശാസ്ത്രവിദ്യ യഥാർത്ഥമായി ഉള്ളവരെ പ്രത്യേകമായി സേവിക്കണം. കാരണം ദുഷ്ടരെ കാണുക, സ്പർശിക്കുക, സംസാരിക്കുക, കൂടെ ഇരിക്കുക, കൂടെ ഭക്ഷിക്കുക—ഇവയാൽ മനുഷ്യൻ മലിനനാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• तान्: them
• तान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

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

• सेवेत्: should associate with / should serve
• सेवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः (adverbial)

• शास्त्रम्: scriptural knowledge / treatise
• शास्त्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम्

• येषाम्: of whom
• येषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्ध-प्रयोगः

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle; emphasis/causal nuance)

• विद्यते: exists / is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; भावे/सत्तायाम् प्रयोगः (exists)

• असताम्: of the wicked / of the bad
• असताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• दर्शन: seeing
• दर्शन: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-पूर्वपदम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्

• स्पर्श: touching
• स्पर्श: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-पूर्वपदम्; पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्

• संजल्प: talking/conversing
• संजल्प: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: संजल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-पूर्वपदम्; पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्

• आसन: sitting
• आसन: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास-पूर्वपदम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम्

• भोजनैः: by (acts of) seeing, touching, talking, sitting, and eating (with them)
• भोजनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भोजन (प्रातिपदिक) [दर्शन+स्पर्श+संजल्प+आसन+भोजन (समाहार-द्वन्द्व)]
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), बहुवचनम्; समाहार-द्वन्द्वसमासः; करणत्वेन प्रयोगः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-scholar respectfully serving a śāstra-knowing elder, while in the background a group of coarse men invite him to sit and eat; the pilgrim turns away, symbolizing avoidance of contaminating company.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Honor and serve the truly scriptural and righteous; avoid intimate association with the unethical, as it degrades one’s purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is mentioned; the guidance supports pilgrim-dharma by stressing purity of association.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit purity rule is given: avoid sharing close contact and meals with the wicked; prioritize service to the learned.