Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

मधुरं मृदुलं सत्यं स्वप्रमाणं सुसंस्कृतम् । हितं मितं सदृष्टांतं श्रुत्वा पक्षिसुभाषितम्

Transliteration

madhuraṃ mṛdulaṃ satyaṃ svapramāṇaṃ susaṃskṛtam | hitaṃ mitaṃ sadṛṣṭāṃtaṃ śrutvā pakṣisubhāṣitam

Translation

Hearing the birds’ well-spoken words—sweet, gentle, truthful, self-authenticating, and well-refined; beneficial, measured, and supported by apt examples—(he was moved).

Word by Word

• मधुरम्: sweet, pleasant
• मधुरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• मृदुलम्: soft, gentle
• मृदुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• सत्यम्: true
• सत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• स्वप्रमाणम्: self-authenticating; having its own authority
• स्वप्रमाणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य प्रमाणम्) (neuter nom/acc sg; genitive tatpuruṣa)

• सुसंस्कृतम्: well-refined, well-composed
• सुसंस्कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + संस्कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √कृ (धातु) + सम्-उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle used adjectivally)

• हितम्: beneficial
• हितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √धा (धातु) with नि/हि-प्रत्यय, settled/beneficial)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (neuter nom/acc sg)

• मितम्: measured, moderate
• मितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मा (धातु) ‘to measure’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (measured, moderate)

• सदृष्टान्तम्: with good examples/illustrations
• सदृष्टान्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + दृष्टान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सः दृष्टान्तः यस्मिन्/यत्) (neuter nom/acc sg)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘श्रुत्वा’ (having heard)

• पक्षिसुभाषितम्: the bird’s good speech/utterance
• पक्षिसुभाषितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षि + सुभाषित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पक्षिणः सुभाषितम्) (neuter accusative singular)

Speaker

Narrator voice within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue frame (deductively Skanda narrating to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative figure listens as birds speak in refined, truthful, gentle sentences; the setting hints at Kāśī’s sacred atmosphere—ghāṭ silhouettes, temple spires, and a calm sky.

Characters & Entities

• Pakṣi (birds)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharmic instruction should be truthful, gentle, beneficial, concise, and supported by clear examples.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse describes the exemplary nature of speech within the Kāśī narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it sets an ethical standard for speech (vāṇī) rather than a ritual act.