Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 190

Devanagari script

न देयं दुष्टबुद्धीनां पापिनां च विशेषतः । न नास्तिकेऽश्रद्दधाने न क्रूरं वा कथंचन

Transliteration

na deyaṃ duṣṭabuddhīnāṃ pāpināṃ ca viśeṣataḥ | na nāstike'śraddadhāne na krūraṃ vā kathaṃcana

Translation

ഇത് ദുഷ്ടബുദ്ധിയുള്ളവർക്കും, പ്രത്യേകിച്ച് പാപികൾക്കും നൽകരുത്; നാസ്തികനോട് അല്ല, അശ്രദ്ധയുള്ളവനോട് അല്ല, ക്രൂരനോടും—ഒരിക്കലും അല്ല.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation)

• देयम्: should be given
• देयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + देय (कृदन्त, यत्)
• Form: विधेय-भावे कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (to be given)

• दुष्टबुद्धीनाम्: of evil-minded people
• दुष्टबुद्धीनाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बुद्धि), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समास ('evil' + 'mindedness' → 'evil-minded')

• पापिनाम्: of sinners
• पापिनाम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb/especially)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात

• नास्तिके: in/for an atheist
• नास्तिके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नास्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• अश्रद्दधाने: in one who lacks faith
• अश्रद्दधाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रद्-धा (धातु) + अश्रद्दधान (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक-कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्-प्रत्यय (negated: 'not having faith')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात

• क्रूरम्: a cruel person
• क्रूरम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; (क्रूरः जनः इति)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive/or)

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• कथंचन: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-प्रयोगे सर्वथा-अर्थक-अव्यय (adverb/at all, in any way)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sūrya-māhātmya (Prabhāsa rahasya)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (implied continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-sage (or narrator) instructs a devoted listener while turning away an arrogant skeptic; the ‘rahasya’ is symbolized as a palm-leaf manuscript or glowing text guarded by dharma—emphasizing discretion and eligibility.

Characters & Entities

• Devī (implied listener)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge must be transmitted with discernment, respecting eligibility (adhikāra) and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly Prabhāsa-kṣetra, since the ‘secret’ Sūrya-māhātmya connected to Prabhāsa is being protected.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescriptive rule of transmission: do not disclose the teaching to the faithless, cruel, or sinful.