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Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

न कथ्येयं यस्य कस्य सुतस्याप्य परस्य च । अदांतायाथ दुष्टाय चलचित्ताय दांभिके

na kathyeyaṃ yasya kasya sutasyāpya parasya ca | adāṃtāyātha duṣṭāya calacittāya dāṃbhike

Diese Lehre soll nicht beliebig weitergegeben werden—nicht einmal dem eigenen Sohn, geschweige denn einem anderen. Man sage sie nicht dem Unbeherrschten, dem Bösen, dem Wankelmütigen oder dem Heuchler.

nanot
na:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)
kathyeyamshould be told
kathyeyam:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkath (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Optative, 3rd person singular, ātmanepada; passive sense: 'should be told')
yasyaof whom
yasya:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive singular; pronoun)
kasyaof anyone
kasya:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootkim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (Genitive singular; 'of anyone')
sutasyaof a son
sutasya:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootsuta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन (Masculine, genitive singular)
apieven, also
api:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कार-अव्यय (particle: even/also)
parasyaof another
parasya:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, genitive singular; adjective)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
adāntāyato the unrestrained
adāntāya:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootadānta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, dative singular; adjective)
athaand, then
atha:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अव्यय)
Formअनुक्रम/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: and/then)
duṣṭāyato the wicked
duṣṭāya:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootduṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, dative singular; adjective)
cala-cittāyato one with a fickle mind
cala-cittāya:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeAdjective
Rootcala (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, dative singular; adjective)
dāmbhikeO hypocrite
dāmbhike:
Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootdāmbhika (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन (Masculine, vocative singular)

Skanda (deduced from context; secrecy rule within instruction)

Type: kshetra

Scene: A guru raises a hand in caution while a few unsteady figures linger at the edge; a sincere disciple sits close, calm and disciplined; the teaching scroll is partially covered, symbolizing guarded transmission.

FAQs

Sacred teachings require adhikāra—discipline, sincerity, and steadiness—otherwise they are misunderstood and misused.

No tīrtha is named; the verse regulates transmission of teaching within the broader Mahātmya discourse.

A prescription of discernment (who may receive instruction) rather than an external ritual.