Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

यदि तान्भोः प्रशंसामि स्वीयान्स्तौतीति वाच्यता । निंदाम्यनर्हान्कस्माद्वा कष्टमेवोभयत्र च

Transliteration

yadi tānbhoḥ praśaṃsāmi svīyānstautīti vācyatā | niṃdāmyanarhānkasmādvā kaṣṭamevobhayatra ca

Translation

Wenn ich sie preise, werden die Leute sagen: „Er rühmt die Seinen.“ Wenn ich aber jene tadle, die keinen Tadel verdienen, warum sollte ich das tun? In beiden Fällen wird es beschwerlich.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (शर्त/सम्भावना-वाचक conjunction)

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• bhoḥ: O! / hey
• bhoḥ: Sambodhana (Address particle/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhoḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बोधन-निपात/Interjection used in address)

• praśaṃsāmi: I praise
• praśaṃsāmi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• svīyān: one's own
• svīyān: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; विशेषण (own)

• stauti: praises
• stauti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इति-निपात, quotative)

• vācyatā: (there is) the accusation/charge
• vācyatā: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vācyatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भाववाचक-नाम (state of being called/charge)

• niṃdāmi: I blame / censure
• niṃdāmi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nind (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• anarhān: the unworthy
• anarhān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an-arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त (unworthy persons)

• kasmāt: from what? / why?
• kasmāt: Hetu (Reason/source question/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम्; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्प-बोधक)

• kaṣṭam: trouble / hardship
• kaṣṭam: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• ubhayatra: in both cases
• ubhayatra: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ubhayatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देश/पक्ष-द्वये: in both cases/places)

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

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nārada-sthāpita-sthāna (unnamed)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhāskara (Ravi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada expresses a thoughtful hesitation: praising may seem nepotistic, blaming would be unjust; his face shows reflective restraint while Bhāskara listens.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brāhmaṇas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right speech is dharma: avoid self-serving praise and avoid unjust criticism; discernment and humility protect truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is directly described; the verse concerns ethical restraint while speaking about holy persons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral reflection on stuti (praise) and nindā (blame).