Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 136
Devanagari script
नात्मानं ताडयेन्नैव दद्याद्दुः खेभ्य एव च । उभाभ्यामपि पाणिभ्यां कण्डूयेन्नात्मनः शिरः
Transliteration
nātmānaṃ tāḍayennaiva dadyādduḥ khebhya eva ca | ubhābhyāmapi pāṇibhyāṃ kaṇḍūyennātmanaḥ śiraḥ
Translation
切莫自击其身，亦莫将己交付忧苦；并且不可用双手同时搔挠自己的头。
Word by Word
nanot
na:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)
ātmānamoneself
ātmānam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन
tāḍayetshould strike/beat
tāḍayet:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Roottāḍ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
nanot
na:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
evaindeed/at all
eva:
Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
dadyātshould give
dadyāt:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootdā (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
duḥkhebhyaḥfrom sufferings/miseries
duḥkhebhyaḥ:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootduḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), बहुवचन
evaindeed
eva:
Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
ubhābhyāmwith both
ubhābhyām:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootubhā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (युग्मार्थे), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), द्विवचन
apialso/even
api:
Sambandha (Addition/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)
pāṇibhyāmwith (two) hands
pāṇibhyām:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootpāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), द्विवचन
kaṇḍūyetshould scratch
kaṇḍūyet:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkaṇḍūy (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
nanot
na:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक-अव्यय
ātmanaḥof oneself
ātmanaḥ:
Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन
śiraḥhead
śiraḥ:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootśiras (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A pilgrim-devotee stands calmly before a Śiva-liṅga, hands composed in añjali; nearby, another figure is shown refraining from striking himself or making frantic gestures, embodying dignified restraint.
FAQs
A devotee cultivates steadiness and dignity—avoiding self-harm, despair, and undisciplined gestures.
No tīrtha is mentioned; it teaches universal norms of devotional comportment.
It prescribes personal restraint as part of dharmic practice, complementing ritual purity with behavioral purity.