Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 108

Devanagari script

रहस्यानां रहस्यं तु गोपनीयं प्रयत्नतः । नास्तिकाय न दातव्यं न च पापरताय च

Transliteration

rahasyānāṃ rahasyaṃ tu gopanīyaṃ prayatnataḥ | nāstikāya na dātavyaṃ na ca pāparatāya ca

Translation

Dies ist das Geheimnis unter den Geheimnissen, das mit größter Sorgfalt zu hüten ist. Es soll weder dem Ungläubigen gegeben werden noch dem, der dem Sündigen ergeben ist.

Word by Word

• रहस्यानाम्: of secrets
• रहस्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• रहस्यम्: secret/mystery
• रहस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• गोपनीयम्: to be kept secret
• गोपनीयम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; गुप् (धातु) + अनीयर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्यय (gerundive: 'to be concealed')

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort/carefully
• प्रयत्नतः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'with effort')

• नास्तिकाय: to an atheist
• नास्तिकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नास्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

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

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive: 'to be given')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पापरताय: to one devoted to sin
• पापरताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-रत (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः 'पापे रतः'

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

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn moment: Śiva lowers his voice, indicating secrecy; Devī listens intently. The environment suggests a sanctum-like privacy—dim lamps, closed pavilion, manuscript wrapped in cloth—symbolizing guarded rahasya.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge requires adhikāra (fitness); it must be protected from disbelief and immoral living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya discourse, linking right transmission to the sanctity of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription of restraint: do not transmit the rahasya to nāstikas or pāpa-ratas.