Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

तस्यास्तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा ब भाषे सूनृतं वचः । त्वया भद्रे न गंतव्यं दक्षस्य यजनं प्रति

Transliteration

tasyāstadvacanaṃ śrutvā ba bhāṣe sūnṛtaṃ vacaḥ | tvayā bhadre na gaṃtavyaṃ dakṣasya yajanaṃ prati

Translation

Ayant entendu ses paroles, il répondit d’une voix douce et véridique : « Ô noble dame, tu ne dois pas te rendre au sacrifice (yajña) de Dakṣa. »

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण

• वचनम्: speech / words
• वचनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रुत्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having heard

• बभाषे: spoke
• बभाषे: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• सूनृतम्: gentle and true
• सूनृतम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूनृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (वचः-शब्दः)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa/Agent (by you)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• भद्रे: O auspicious lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• गन्तव्यम्: should be gone / ought to go
• गन्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गन्तव्य (कृदन्त, तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त विधेय/कर्तव्यता (gerundive: should be gone)

• दक्षस्य: of Dakṣa
• दक्षस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• यजनम्: sacrifice / ritual
• यजनम्: Karma (Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक; √यज् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Dik/Pratiyogin (Directional marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश (preposition-like: towards)

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dakṣa-yajña-sthala (archetypal)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (ṛṣis/audience, implicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, after hearing Satī, responds with gentle truth: he forbids her from going to Dakṣa’s sacrifice; his expression is compassionate yet firm; Satī appears conflicted.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Satyā
• Dakṣa
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Avoiding dishonor and hostile assemblies is dharma; gentle truth (sūnṛta) is the proper mode of counsel.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the focus is on the moral implications of attending Dakṣa’s yajña.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition/advice is given: do not attend the yajña under these conditions.