Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

ईक्षणे परिहर्त्तव्या किमु संभाषणादिषु । सत्संगरहितां चंडां कथमेनां निनीषथ

Transliteration

īkṣaṇe pariharttavyā kimu saṃbhāṣaṇādiṣu | satsaṃgarahitāṃ caṃḍāṃ kathamenāṃ ninīṣatha

Translation

ఆమెను చూడటమే దూరంగా ఉంచవలసినది; మరి మాటలాడటం మొదలైనవి ఎంత దూరం! సత్సంగం లేని, కఠిన స్వభావం గల, పతిత—అటువంటివారిని పరమగమ్యానికి ఎలా తీసుకువెళ్లదలచారు?

Word by Word

• īkṣaṇe: in (mere) looking/at the sight
• īkṣaṇe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īkṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• parihartavyā: to be avoided
• parihartavyā: Kriya-visheshana (Predicate adjective/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√hṛ (परि + हृ धातु) → parihartavya (कृदन्त/तव्यत्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), ‘परिहर्तव्या’ = त्याज्या

• kim: what (then)
• kim: Sambandha (Question/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (idiomatically ‘what then/more so’)

• u: indeed/then
• u: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: u (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle), ‘किमु’ = ‘किं पुनः/किं उ’

• saṃbhāṣaṇa-ādiṣu: in conversation and the like
• saṃbhāṣaṇa-ādiṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃbhāṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘संभाषणं आदि यस्मिन्/येषु’ (ādi as ‘etc.’)

• sat-saṃga-rahitām: devoid of good company
• sat-saṃga-rahitām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sat (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃga (प्रातिपदिक) + rahita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘सत्सङ्गेन रहिता’

• caṇḍām: a fierce/low woman (caṇḍā)
• caṇḍām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (Question/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय

• enām: her
• enām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enām = इमाम्)

• ninīṣatha: do you wish to lead/take
• ninīṣatha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nī (नी धातु) + desiderative ninīṣ (सन्नन्त)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), बहुवचन; सन्नन्त

Speaker

Unspecified narrator/speaker addressing Śiva’s messengers (context: a questioning interlocutor)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sat-saṅga (as a ‘moving tīrtha’)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary scene: the ‘caṇḍā’ figure stands isolated at the edge of a gathering of sages; the speaker gestures that she should be avoided even by sight; the satsang circle glows with calm, while the isolated figure is shown with rough demeanor and shadowed tones.

Characters & Entities

• Sat-saṅga
• Śivadūta (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse voices a conventional judgment based on association and status, which the story challenges through Śiva’s unexpected compassion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the emphasis is on satsaṅga and moral perception.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; the implied spiritual discipline is satsaṅga (keeping company with the holy).