Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

नकुलं सकुलं ब्रूयान्न कंचिन्मर्मणि स्पृशेत् । प्रपठन्नपि चैवाहमिदं सर्वं तथा शुकः

Transliteration

nakulaṃ sakulaṃ brūyānna kaṃcinmarmaṇi spṛśet | prapaṭhannapi caivāhamidaṃ sarvaṃ tathā śukaḥ

Translation

Man soll Harmloses und Angemessenes sprechen und niemanden an einer wunden Stelle berühren. Selbst wenn ich all dies aufsage, bin auch ich nur wie ein Papagei.

Word by Word

• नकुलम्: mongoose (nakula)
• नकुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• सकुलम्: together with its family
• सकुलम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; समास: सह कुलेन (with its family)

• ब्रूयात्: should say/utter
• ब्रूयात्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Modifier (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• कञ्चित्: anyone/someone
• कञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थ (indefinite)

• मर्मणि: in a vital spot/weak point
• मर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्पृशेत्: should touch/strike
• स्पृशेत्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रपठन्: reciting
• प्रपठन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पठ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तरि

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (concessive/also)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Modifier (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (सर्वम्)

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• तथा: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• शुकः: Śuka (the sage/parrot-named)
• शुकः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced; self-referential humility fits a narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage instructs disciples: one disciple speaks gently; another, proud reciter, is shown with a parrot perched nearby as a mirror of rote repetition; a subtle depiction of ‘marman’ as a lotus-heart symbol not to be pierced by words.

Characters & Entities

• Śuka (as 'parrot' metaphor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right speech avoids harm and avoids striking others’ vulnerabilities; mere recitation without inner transformation is likened to a parrot’s chatter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it prescribes ethical restraint in speech and behavior.