Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणस्त्रीनरेंद्राणां बालवृद्धतपस्विनाम् । पितृमातृगुरूणां च नाप्रियं मनसा वदेत्

Transliteration

brāhmaṇastrīnareṃdrāṇāṃ bālavṛddhatapasvinām | pitṛmātṛgurūṇāṃ ca nāpriyaṃ manasā vadet

Translation

Gegenüber Brahmanen, Frauen, Königen, Kindern, Alten und Asketen — ebenso gegenüber Vater, Mutter und Lehrern — soll man nichts Hartes oder Missfälliges äußern, nicht einmal im Geist.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणस्त्रीनरेन्द्राणाम्: of Brahmins, women, and kings
• ब्राह्मणस्त्रीनरेन्द्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण + स्त्री + नरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समुच्चय); षष्ठी बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• बालवृद्धतपस्विनाम्: of children, the aged, and ascetics
• बालवृद्धतपस्विनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल + वृद्ध + तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (समुच्चय); षष्ठी बहुवचन

• पितृमातृगुरूणाम्: of father, mother, and teachers
• पितृमातृगुरूणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ + मातृ + गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; षष्ठी बहुवचन

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

• न: not
• न: Kriyāniṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• अप्रियम्: what is unpleasant
• अप्रियम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; कर्म (object of वदेत्)

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन; करण (instrumental: ‘with/in the mind’)

• वदेत्: should speak
• वदेत्: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष एकवचन; विध्यर्थ (should speak)

Speaker

Sārasvata (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim household at Prabhāsa listens to a sage’s counsel; the central figure restrains speech, hands folded, while elders, a guru, women, children, and ascetics are respectfully seated.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa
• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner and outer speech must be disciplined; reverence and non-harm begin in the mind and extend to words toward revered groups.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The conduct is taught as part of Vastrāpathakṣetra’s māhātmya in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, describing behavior worthy of a holy place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral vrata is implied: refrain from harsh speech (vāṅ-niyama), even mentally, toward Brahmins, elders, ascetics, parents, and teachers.