Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

अहो कष्टमिदं कूक्तं तीर्थराजेन मोहतः । सन्तोऽपि न गुणा वाच्याः स्वयं सद्भिः स्वका यतः

Transliteration

aho kaṣṭamidaṃ kūktaṃ tīrtharājena mohataḥ | santo'pi na guṇā vācyāḥ svayaṃ sadbhiḥ svakā yataḥ

Translation

അയ്യോ, മോഹവശാൽ ‘തീർത്ഥരാജൻ’ പറഞ്ഞ ഈ വാക്ക് എത്ര ദുഃഖകരം! ഗുണങ്ങൾ ഉണ്ടായാലും സജ്ജനർ സ്വന്തം ഗുണങ്ങളെ സ്വയം പ്രസ്താവിക്കുകയില്ല; അവ സ്വകീയങ്ങളല്ലോ.

Word by Word

• अहो: alas/oh
• अहो: Sambandha (Interjection/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विस्मय/खेदसूचक निपात (interjection)

• कष्टम्: a hardship/terrible thing
• कष्टम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular; विशेषणम् (कष्टम्)

• कूक्तम्: ill-spoken
• कूक्तम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कु + √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — ‘badly spoken/ill-said’ (agreeing with कष्टम्/इदम्)

• तीर्थ-राजेन: by the king of tīrthas
• तीर्थ-राजेन: Karana (Agent in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• मोहतः: out of delusion
• मोहतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Ablative, Singular; हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause)

• सन्तः: good people/being virtuous
• सन्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) ‘being’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• अपि: even/although
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (even/although)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• गुणाः: qualities/merits
• गुणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• वाच्याः: should be spoken
• वाच्याः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligation); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — ‘to be spoken/should be spoken’

• स्वयम्: by oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (by oneself)

• सद्भिः: by the good (people)
• सद्भिः: Karana (Agent/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• स्वकाः: one’s own
• स्वकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; विधेय-विशेषणम् (गुणाः)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (because/since)

Speaker

Dharma (Dharma-deva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dharma addresses the assembly with a composed yet firm expression, gently chastising the tīrtha-rāja for deluded self-praise; the tīrtha-rāja appears chastened, the assembly attentive.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Tīrtharāja

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-praise is a mark of delusion; true goodness is modest and does not advertise itself.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha identified as “Tīrtharāja” is discussed, in the context of how pride can diminish a place’s renown.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse teaches ethical restraint in speech, especially regarding one’s own merit.