Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64
Devanagari script
अमात्येनाप्यपृष्टेन न वक्तव्यं नृपाग्रतः । महापमानभीतेन स्तोकमप्यत्र किंचन
Transliteration
amātyenāpyapṛṣṭena na vaktavyaṃ nṛpāgrataḥ | mahāpamānabhītena stokamapyatra kiṃcana
Translation
たとえ大臣であっても、問われぬなら王の御前で語ってはならない。大いなる恥辱を恐れて、ここでは些細なことすら口にすべきではない。
Word by Word
अमात्येनby a minister
अमात्येन:
Karana (Agent-instrument: ‘by a minister’/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; ‘even’)
अपृष्टेनwhen not asked
अपृष्टेन:
Karana (Condition/means: ‘when unasked’/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअपृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √प्रच्छ् से क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; ‘not asked’ (past passive participle used substantively)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
वक्तव्यम्should be spoken
वक्तव्यम्:
Kriya (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formतव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be spoken/should be said’ (here: should not be said)
नृपाग्रतःbefore the king
नृपाग्रतः:
Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनृप + अग्रतस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्न)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb): ‘in front of the king’
महापमानभीतेनby one fearing great dishonor
महापमानभीतेन:
Karana (Cause/means: ‘out of fear’/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा + अपमान + भीत (प्रातिपदिक; √भी से क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (महद् अपमानम् इति; तेन भीतः)
स्तोकम्a little
स्तोकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; ‘even’)
अत्रhere
अत्र:
Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)
किंचनanything
किंचन:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिंचन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, 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
Speech should be disciplined and context-appropriate; restraint is itself a dharmic virtue.
None explicitly; it is counsel within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative.
No ritual; it prescribes ethical restraint in speech and protocol.