Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

कस्मिन्वेदं स्मृतौ कस्यां प्रोक्तमेतद्ब्रवीहि मे । परुषैरिति वाक्यैर्मां नकुलेति ब्रवीषि यत्

Transliteration

kasminvedaṃ smṛtau kasyāṃ proktametadbravīhi me | paruṣairiti vākyairmāṃ nakuleti bravīṣi yat

Translation

Dis-moi : dans quel Veda, dans quelle Smṛti, est-il enseigné ceci — qu’avec des paroles dures tu doives m’appeler « mangouste » ?

Word by Word

• कस्मिन्: in which?
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th case)

• वेदे: in the Veda
• वेदे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th case)

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

• स्मृतौ: in the Smṛti
• स्मृतौ: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th case)

• कस्याम्: in which (Smṛti)?
• कस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सप्तमी (7th case)

• प्रोक्तम्: is stated
• प्रोक्तम्: Karma (Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया

• ब्रवीहि: tell (me)
• ब्रवीहि: Kriya (Command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, एकवचन, चतुर्थी (4th case)

• परुषैः: with harsh
• परुषैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया (3rd case); विशेषणम् (to 'वाक्यैः')

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

• वाक्यैः: by words, with statements
• वाक्यैः: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, बहुवचन, तृतीया (3rd case)

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

• नकुल: O mongoose!
• नकुल: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative) (as abusive address)

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

• ब्रवीषि: you say
• ब्रवीषि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (विकल्परूपम्)

• यत्: that/whereby
• यत्: Sambandha (Relative connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक अव्यय-प्रयोगः (relative particle used as conjunction)

Speaker

Nakula (mongoose)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A composed disputant asks for scriptural citation: open palm, questioning gaze; the other figure holds or sits near manuscripts, challenged to justify harsh speech.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Smṛti
• Nakula (mongoose)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is aligned with śāstra: cruelty in speech cannot be justified by scripture; true authority supports restraint and respect.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse appeals to Veda and Smṛti as moral standards.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse implies ethical observance—avoidance of paruṣa-vākya (harsh speech).