Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

वाचोवेगं मनोवेगं जिह्वावेगं च वर्जयेत् । उत्कोच द्यूत दौत्यार्त द्रव्यं दूरात्परित्यजेत्

Transliteration

vācovegaṃ manovegaṃ jihvāvegaṃ ca varjayet | utkoca dyūta dautyārta dravyaṃ dūrātparityajet

Translation

Pigilin ang bugso ng salita, ang bugso ng isip, at ang bugso ng dila. At talikdan mula pa sa malayo ang yamang nakamtan sa suhol, pagsusugal, pagiging tagapamagitan, o sa pamimilit at pagdurusa.

Word by Word

• vācaḥ-vegam: impulse of speech
• vācaḥ-vegam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वाचः वेगः) “impulse of speech”

• manaḥ-vegam: impulse of mind
• manaḥ-vegam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः “impulse of mind”

• jihvā-vegam: impulse of the tongue
• jihvā-vegam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jihvā (प्रातिपदिक) + vega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः “impulse of the tongue”

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

• varjayet: should avoid
• varjayet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛj (वृज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; “should avoid”

• utkoca: bribe
• utkoca: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utkoca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्/अव्ययीभाववत् सूचीकरणे (as item in list); “bribe”

• dyūta: gambling
• dyūta: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dyūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्/सूचीकरणे; “gambling”

• dautya-ārta: connected with brokerage/agency
• dautya-ārta: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dautya (प्रातिपदिक) + ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्/सूचीकरणे; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दौत्येन आर्तम्) “tainted by/connected with brokerage (pimping/agency)”

• dravyam: wealth/property
• dravyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्; “wealth/property” (object of parityajet)

• dūrāt: from afar
• dūrāt: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/Distance)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम् (ablatival adverb) “from afar/at a distance”

• parityajet: should abandon
• parityajet: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√tyaj (त्यज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; “should abandon”

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī stands at a crossroads: one path leads to a gambling den and bribery exchange; the other to a temple and a quiet ghat. He binds his tongue symbolically with a vow-thread, steadies his mind, and turns away from tainted coins.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner restraint and clean livelihood are pillars of dharma; uncontrolled impulses and tainted wealth corrode spiritual life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s dharma-guidance, shaping conduct for those devoted to Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it prescribes ethical renunciation—reject bribery, gambling gains, and other harmful earnings as part of dharmic living.