Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

न द्वेष्टि नो कामयते न विरुद्धोऽनुरुध्यते । समाश्मकांचनो धीरस्तुल्यनिंदात्मसंस्तुतिः

Transliteration

na dveṣṭi no kāmayate na viruddho'nurudhyate | samāśmakāṃcano dhīrastulyaniṃdātmasaṃstutiḥ

Translation

அவன் வெறுக்கவும் மாட்டான், ஆசைப்படவும் மாட்டான்; எதிர்ப்பு வந்தாலும் புகழ்ச்சியால் ஒட்டிக் கொள்ள மாட்டான். திடமுள்ளவன் கல்லும் பொன்னும் ஒன்றெனக் காண்கிறான்; பழியும் தன்னைத்தானேப் புகழ்வதும் அவனுக்கு சமமே.

Word by Word

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

• द्वेष्टि: hates
• द्वेष्टि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: द्विष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; present indicative

• न: nor/not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• उ: indeed (emphasis)
• उ: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; emphatic particle (often with ‘न’)

• कामयते: desires
• कामयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; present indicative ‘desires’

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

• विरुद्धः: one who is opposed/hostile
• विरुद्धः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + रुध् (धातु) → विरुद्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1), एकवचन; past passive participle used adjectivally

• अनुरुध्यते: is appeased/obliged
• अनुरुध्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + रुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) / आत्मनेपद-रूप; ‘is complied with/conciliated’

• सम: equally
• सम: Sambandha (Prefix/उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय; here as preverb in compound sense ‘equally’

• अश्म: stone
• अश्म: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member) ‘stone’

• काञ्चनः: gold (as equal to stone)
• काञ्चनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1), एकवचन; adjective ‘golden’ used substantively; with ‘सम’ gives sense ‘equal (to) stone and gold’

• धीरः: the steadfast/wise man
• धीरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1), एकवचन; nominative singular

• तुल्यनिन्दा-आत्मसंस्तुतिः: equal (unmoved) in blame and self-praise
• तुल्यनिन्दा-आत्मसंस्तुतिः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य + निन्दा + आत्म + संस्तुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तुल्या निन्दा च आत्मसंस्तुतिः च यस्य/यत्र) ‘equal in blame and self-praise’; used as predicate adjective of ‘धीरः’

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced; Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composed sage sits in meditation; on one side lies a heap of gold, on the other a stone—he looks at both with the same calm gaze; around him people alternately praise and blame, yet his posture and expression do not change.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Equanimity: freedom from hatred, craving, and the need for approval—remaining steady in praise or blame.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular sacred place is mentioned; the verse describes inner qualities valued in Shaiva Dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual instruction appears; it prescribes a mental-vow of steadiness and non-attachment.