Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 121

Devanagari script

मायाविनां हि ब्रुवतां वाक्यं चांडबरावृतम् । कुनाणकमिवोद्दीप्तं परीक्षेयं सदा सताम्

Transliteration

māyāvināṃ hi bruvatāṃ vākyaṃ cāṃḍabarāvṛtam | kunāṇakamivoddīptaṃ parīkṣeyaṃ sadā satām

Translation

ମାୟାବୀମାନଙ୍କ କଥା ଆଡମ୍ବରରେ ଢାକା ଥାଏ; ତାହା ଚମକୁଥିବା ଖୋଟା ମୁଦ୍ରା ପରି—ସଜ୍ଜନମାନେ ସଦା ତାହାକୁ ପରୀକ୍ଷା କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• māyāvinām: of deceivers/illusionists
• māyāvinām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyāvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• hi: indeed, for
• hi: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपात (particle: 'indeed/for')

• bruvatām: of those who speak
• bruvatām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √brū (ब्रू) शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle)

• vākyam: speech, statement
• vākyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• āḍambara-āvṛtam: covered by pomp
• āḍambara-āvṛtam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āḍambara (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त; ā-√vṛ वृ, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; समासः—तत्पुरुष (आडम्बरेण आवृतम्)

• ku-nāṇakam: a counterfeit coin
• ku-nāṇakam: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ku (उपसर्ग/अव्यय-पूर्वपद) + nāṇaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कु=दुष्ट/निकृष्ट; 'bad coin')

• iva: like
• iva: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• uddīptam: shining, glittering
• uddīptam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√dīp (दीप्) क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• parīkṣeyam: should be examined
• parīkṣeyam: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√īkṣ (ईक्ष्) यत्/तव्यत् (कृदन्त; gerundive)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तव्यत्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (to be examined)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'always')

• satām: of the good (people)
• satām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; 'सत्' = सज्जन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise person holds a shining coin to the light and then to a touchstone, while a deceiver smiles behind a veil of glittering words; the scene emphasizes testing over appearance.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Do not be misled by eloquence or display; a virtuous person tests claims by dharma and truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it gives general dharma-guidance relevant to all pilgrimage contexts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed; the practice here is ethical vigilance—examining speech and intent.