Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 93

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा प्रत्यक्षतो मादृक्कथं पिबति भो वद । साधु वाप्यथवाऽसाधु न पिबेयं कथंचन

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā pratyakṣato mādṛkkathaṃ pibati bho vada | sādhu vāpyathavā'sādhu na pibeyaṃ kathaṃcana

Translation

“ଆଖି ସାମ୍ନାରେ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟକ୍ଷ ଦେଖୁଥିବାବେଳେ ମୋ ପରି ଲୋକ କିପରି ପିଇବ? କହ। ଭଲ ହେଉ କି ମନ୍ଦ, ମୁଁ କେହିପରି ମଧ୍ୟ ପିଇବି ନାହିଁ।”

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक (having seen)

• प्रत्यक्षतः: directly
• प्रत्यक्षतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; अव्ययभावे (from direct perception; directly)

• मादृक्: one like me
• मादृक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मादृश्/मादृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st case); एकवचन; ‘मादृशः’ इत्यर्थे (one like me)

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Interrogative adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (how?)

• पिबति: drinks
• पिबति: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• भो: O!
• भो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संबोधन-निपात (vocative particle)

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriyā (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative); मध्यमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• साधु: properly
• साधु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसार्थ/रीत्यर्थ (well; properly)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (also/even)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or else)

• असाधु: improperly
• असाधु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: असाधु (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययप्राय)
• Form: अव्यय; निन्दार्थ/रीत्यर्थ (improperly)

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

• पिबेयम्: I should drink
• पिबेयम्: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Potential/Optative); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कथंचन: in any way (at all)
• कथंचन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सर्वथा/कदाचन-निषेधार्थे (in any way/at all)

Speaker

Kālabhīti

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kuru-nandana addressed later in the passage (implying a royal listener within the story)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kālabhīti, eyes fixed on what he ‘sees directly’ (an implied suffering/ethical situation), refuses to drink; his posture is firm, palm raised in refusal, the other man presses or questions him.

Characters & Entities

• Kālabhīti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes inner scruple; one should not accept benefit if one believes it violates propriety—even before understanding the deeper rule.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is stated in this verse; it is part of a broader Śaiva māhātmya episode.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it concerns restraint in drinking/accepting water in a morally uncertain situation.