Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

त्वं मुने मन्यसे चेदं कुलीनोऽस्मीति बुद्धिमान् । ततः क्षिपसि मां मूढ नकुलोऽयमिति स्मयन्

Transliteration

tvaṃ mune manyase cedaṃ kulīno'smīti buddhimān | tataḥ kṣipasi māṃ mūḍha nakulo'yamiti smayan

Translation

Ô sage, si tu te crois intelligent et de noble lignée, pourquoi donc, insensé, m’insultes-tu en souriant et en disant : « Ceci est une mangouste » ?

Word by Word

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुषार्थे (2nd person pronoun), एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case), पुल्लिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-निर्लिङ्गप्रयोगः

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative)

• मन्यसे: you think
• मन्यसे: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/समुच्चय-शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case)

• कुलीनः: well-born, of noble family
• कुलीनः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुलीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case); विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• बुद्धिमान्: intelligent
• बुद्धिमान्: Karta (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बुद्धिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case); विशेषणम् (to implied 'त्वम्')

• ततः: therefore, then
• ततः: Sambandha (Cause/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्-अर्थे (ablatival adverb)

• क्षिपसि: you revile/insult
• क्षिपसि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, द्वितीया (2nd case)

• मूढ: O fool
• मूढ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative); विशेषणम्

• नकुलः: a mongoose
• नकुलः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case)

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (Subject within quote)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case)

• इति: saying
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणसूचक अव्यय (quotative)

• स्मयन्: smiling, mocking
• स्मयन्: Karta (Agent, concomitant action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मि (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle), पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case)

Speaker

Nakula (mongoose) addressing Yājñavalkya (the muni)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A heated exchange: a revered-looking sage is confronted by a smaller ascetic/being who rebukes him for smilingly insulting with the word ‘nakula’ (mongoose). Gestures emphasize moral reprimand and wounded dignity.

Characters & Entities

• Nakula (mongoose)
• Yājñavalkya (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True wisdom is shown by humility and respectful speech; pride in birth or learning does not justify contempt.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; the verse is a moral confrontation within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it critiques harshness and ridicule as violations of dharma.