Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

असंभाष्या न संभाष्याश्चातुर्मास्य व्रतस्थितैः । मौनं चापि सदा कार्यं तथ्यं वक्तव्यमेव वा

Transliteration

asaṃbhāṣyā na saṃbhāṣyāścāturmāsya vratasthitaiḥ | maunaṃ cāpi sadā kāryaṃ tathyaṃ vaktavyameva vā

Translation

ومن ثبت على نذر تشاتورماسيا فلا يخوض حديثًا مع من لا يليق بهم الخطاب؛ وليلازم الصمت دائمًا، أو إن تكلّم فلا ينطق إلا بالحق.

Word by Word

• asaṃbhāṣyāḥ: (persons) not to be conversed with
• asaṃbhāṣyāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-saṃbhāṣya (प्रातिपदिक; saṃ + bhāṣ (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय, negated)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); ‘not to be spoken with’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• saṃbhāṣyāḥ: (persons) to be conversed with
• saṃbhāṣyāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃbhāṣya (प्रातिपदिक; saṃ + bhāṣ (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); ‘to be spoken with’

• cāturmāsya: of the Cāturmāsya (four-month observance)
• cāturmāsya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāturmāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (usage as adjective), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular); vratasthitaiḥ इति सम्बन्धः

• vrata-sthitaiḥ: by those abiding in the vow
• vrata-sthitaiḥ: Karaṇa (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata + sthita (प्रातिपदिक; sthā (धातु) → sthita)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• maunam: silence
• maunam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक अव्यय (particle: also)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

• kāryam: should be done/observed
• kāryam: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; kṛ (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative: ‘to be done’)

• tathyam: truth, what is factual
• tathyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• vaktavyam: must be spoken
• vaktavyam: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaktavya (प्रातिपदिक; vac (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative: ‘to be spoken’)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cāturmāsya-vrata in Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Cāturmāsya observer in Kāśī sits in quiet meditation near a ghat or temple courtyard, ignoring idle chatter; when addressed, he responds briefly and truthfully.

Characters & Entities

• Cāturmāsya
• Vrata
• Satya
• Mauna
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Control of speech—through silence and truth—protects the mind and preserves the sanctity of a vow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative world, connecting vow-discipline with Kāśī’s dharmic atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid improper conversation/associations; keep mauna, or speak only what is true.