Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

अमात्येनाप्यपृष्टेन न वक्तव्यं नृपाग्रतः । महापमानभीतेन स्तोकमप्यत्र किंचन

Transliteration

amātyenāpyapṛṣṭena na vaktavyaṃ nṛpāgrataḥ | mahāpamānabhītena stokamapyatra kiṃcana

Translation

Même un ministre, s’il n’est pas interrogé, ne doit pas parler devant le roi. Par crainte d’un grand déshonneur, qu’on ne dise ici pas même la moindre chose.

Word by Word

• अमात्येन: by a minister
• अमात्येन: Karana (Agent-instrument: ‘by a minister’/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; ‘even’)

• अपृष्टेन: when not asked
• अपृष्टेन: Karana (Condition/means: ‘when unasked’/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √प्रच्छ् से क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; ‘not asked’ (past passive participle used substantively)

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

• वक्तव्यम्: should be spoken
• वक्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be spoken/should be said’ (here: should not be said)

• नृपाग्रतः: before the king
• नृपाग्रतः: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नृप + अग्रतस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्न)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb): ‘in front of the king’

• महापमानभीतेन: by one fearing great dishonor
• महापमानभीतेन: Karana (Cause/means: ‘out of fear’/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + अपमान + भीत (प्रातिपदिक; √भी से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (महद् अपमानम् इति; तेन भीतः)

• स्तोकम्: a little
• स्तोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; ‘even’)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• किंचन: anything
• किंचन: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)

Speaker

Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A minister stands with folded hands behind the king’s seat, lips closed, eyes lowered—symbolizing restraint; the brāhmaṇa’s presence sanctifies the courtly scene with dharmic gravity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech should be disciplined and context-appropriate; restraint is itself a dharmic virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None explicitly; it is counsel within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes ethical restraint in speech and protocol.