Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 124

Devanagari script

असत्सेवां ह्यसद्वादं ह्यसच्छास्त्रं च पार्थिव । आदर्शदर्शनं दंतधावनं केशसाधनम्

Transliteration

asatsevāṃ hyasadvādaṃ hyasacchāstraṃ ca pārthiva | ādarśadarśanaṃ daṃtadhāvanaṃ keśasādhanam

Translation

О царь, следует избегать общения с нечестивыми, лживой речи и вводящих в заблуждение учений. Равно и от неуместных, несвоевременных действий следует воздерживаться — от взгляда в зеркало, чистки зубов и приведения волос в порядок.

Word by Word

• asat-sevām: service/association with the bad
• asat-sevām: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक) + sevā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (wicked-company/service)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle: indeed/for)

• asat-vādam: false talk/doctrine
• asat-vādam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle)

• asat-śāstram: bad/false scripture
• asat-śāstram: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम्

• pārthiva: O king
• pārthiva: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pārthiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (8th/Vocative), एकवचनम्

• ādarśa-darśanam: looking into a mirror
• ādarśa-darśanam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādarśa (प्रातिपदिक) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः

• daṃta-dhāvanam: tooth-cleaning
• daṃta-dhāvanam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃta (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः

• keśa-sādhanam: hair grooming
• keśa-sādhanam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśa (प्रातिपदिक) + sādhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārthiva (king) explicitly addressed

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king addressed by a youthful divine teacher (Skanda-like presence implied by Kaumārikā setting); in the background, two paths: one with saintly company and scripture, another with quarrelsome men and misleading scrolls; a mirror and comb set aside outside a shrine gate.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity of life begins with purity of influences—avoid corrupt company, deceitful speech, and misleading teachings, and keep disciplined daily conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it teaches general dharma-ācāra within the Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A restraint-based prescription: avoid certain acts (mirror-gazing, tooth-cleaning, hair-dressing) when they are considered improper/untimely per the passage’s purity code.