Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

देशकालपरिज्ञानं पात्रापात्रविवेचनम् । छाया नृणां न वक्तव्या तक्राग्नींधनकांजिकम्

Transliteration

deśakālaparijñānaṃ pātrāpātravivecanam | chāyā nṛṇāṃ na vaktavyā takrāgnīṃdhanakāṃjikam

Translation

Qu’on connaisse le lieu et le temps, et qu’on discerne qui est digne de recevoir et qui ne l’est pas. Qu’on ne parle pas de « l’ombre » d’autrui pour le dénigrer, ni ne s’attarde mal à propos sur le babeurre, le bois de feu, le feu et la bouillie aigre : choses triviales qui nourrissent querelles et petitesse.

Word by Word

• देशकालपरिज्ञानम्: knowledge of place and time
• देशकालपरिज्ञानम्: Karma (Object/thing to be known)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश + काल + परिज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• पात्रापात्रविवेचनम्: discrimination between worthy and unworthy recipients
• पात्रापात्रविवेचनम्: Karma (Object/thing to be done/known)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र + अपात्र + विवेचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (पात्र + अपात्र) तत्पश्चात् तत्पुरुष (‘विवेचनम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• छाया: (one’s) shadow
• छाया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तृपद (subject of न वक्तव्या)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (whose shadow)

• न: not
• न: Kriyāniṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• वक्तव्या: should be spoken/mentioned
• वक्तव्या: Kriyā (Predicate: ought-to-be-done)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्) कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; विधेयभावः (should be spoken/mentioned)

• तक्राग्नींधनकांजिकम्: buttermilk, fire, fuel, and sour gruel (kāñjika)
• तक्राग्नींधनकांजिकम्: Karma (Object/thing not to be mentioned)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तक्र + अग्नि + इन्धन + कांजिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व/समुच्चयार्थ समास (list of items); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

Speaker

Sārasvata (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A donor consults a learned priest about auspicious time and worthy recipients; in the background, two figures begin to quarrel over kitchen items, while the sage gestures to silence and propriety.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma requires discernment—act with awareness of context, give wisely, and avoid speech that turns sacred life into petty criticism and conflict.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated in Vastrāpathakṣetra-māhātmya within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, framing etiquette appropriate to that sacred region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Guidance for dāna is implied via pātra-apātra-viveka (discerning worthy recipients), along with a restraint on speech as part of vrata-like discipline.