Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अत्र मर्म न वक्तव्यं सुधियां कस्यचित्क्वचित् । परदार परद्रव्य परापकरणं त्यजेत्

Transliteration

atra marma na vaktavyaṃ sudhiyāṃ kasyacitkvacit | paradāra paradravya parāpakaraṇaṃ tyajet

Translation

ഇവിടെ ബുദ്ധിമാൻ ആരുടെയെങ്കിലും രഹസ്യം എവിടെയും വെളിപ്പെടുത്തരുത്. പരസ്ത്രീ, പരധനം, പരഹാനി—ഇവയെല്ലാം ഉപേക്ഷിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• अत्र: here; in this matter
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• मर्म: secret; vital point
• मर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• वक्तव्यम्: to be spoken; should be said
• वक्तव्यम्: Vidhi (Prohibition/निषेध-विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वच् (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृतान्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• सुधियाम्: of wise people
• सुधियाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + धी)

• कस्यचित्: of someone; anyone's
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (indefinite: 'of someone')

• क्वचित्: anywhere; ever
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (somewhere/at some time)

• परदार: another's wife
• परदार: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परस्य दाराः)

• परद्रव्य: another's property
• परद्रव्य: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परस्य द्रव्यम्)

• परापकरणम्: harm to others; wrongdoing
• परापकरणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-अपकरण (प्रातिपदिक; पर + अपकार/अपकरण-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परस्य अपकारः/अपकरणम्)

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Ānandakānana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim restrains himself: turning away from temptation, returning a found purse, shielding a friend’s confidence; the ghats and temples stand as silent witnesses to ethical discipline.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Dharma (ethical restraints)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holiness demands inner discipline: protect confidences, respect relationships and property, and avoid harming others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī as the setting where elevated ethical conduct is insisted upon for spiritual benefit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A code of restraint: do not reveal secrets; renounce adultery, theft/appropriation, and harm.