Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

मात्रा स्वस्रा दुहित्रा वा राजानं च तथा प्रभुम् । गुरुं चैवादितः कृत्वा शयानं न प्रबोधयेत्

Transliteration

mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā rājānaṃ ca tathā prabhum | guruṃ caivāditaḥ kṛtvā śayānaṃ na prabodhayet

Translation

Weder Mutter noch Schwester noch Tochter — ebenso wenig einen König oder Herrn — soll man wecken. Nachdem man zuvor dem Guru gebührende Verehrung erwiesen hat, soll man ihn nicht aufwecken, wenn er daliegt.

Word by Word

• मात्रा: by/with the mother
• मात्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• स्वस्रा: by/with the sister
• स्वस्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वसृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• दुहित्रा: by/with the daughter
• दुहित्रा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुहितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction ‘and’)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (adverb ‘thus/likewise’)

• प्रभुम्: the lord/master
• प्रभुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• गुरुम्: the teacher
• गुरुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction ‘and’)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle ‘indeed/just’)

• आदितः: first
• आदितः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), ‘आदौ/प्रथमम्’ अर्थे (adverb ‘at first/firstly’)

• कृत्वा: having made/considered
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having done/made’

• शयानम्: one who is lying/asleep
• शयानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शी (धातु) + शयान (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्/आनच्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म) विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘lying/asleep’ (Accusative singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation)

• प्रबोधयेत्: should awaken
• प्रबोधयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular); causative sense ‘to awaken’ implied by प्रबोधय- (णिच्)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing his rationale)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An āśrama or palace interior at dawn: a revered guru/king resting on a low couch; a devotee stands with folded hands, restraining others from waking him, conveying quiet discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Guru
• King (rājā)
• Lord/Master (prabhu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sadācāra (right conduct) includes restraint and reverence—authority figures and teachers are not to be disturbed casually.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is a general dharma maxim embedded in the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A conduct rule: do not awaken a sleeping guru/king/lord; first render appropriate respect (ādara).