Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 108

Devanagari script

रहस्यानां रहस्यं तु गोपनीयं प्रयत्नतः । नास्तिकाय न दातव्यं न च पापरताय च

Transliteration

rahasyānāṃ rahasyaṃ tu gopanīyaṃ prayatnataḥ | nāstikāya na dātavyaṃ na ca pāparatāya ca

Translation

ഇത് രഹസ്യങ്ങളിലെയും പരമ രഹസ്യം; അതിനെ പരിശ്രമത്തോടെ ഗോപ്യമായി കാത്തുസൂക്ഷിക്കണം. നാസ്തികന് നൽകരുത്; പാപരതനായവനും നൽകരുത്.

Word by Word

• रहस्यानाम्: of secrets
• रहस्यानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• रहस्यम्: secret/mystery
• रहस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• गोपनीयम्: to be kept secret
• गोपनीयम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; गुप् (धातु) + अनीयर्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्यय (gerundive: 'to be concealed')

• प्रयत्नतः: with effort/carefully
• प्रयत्नतः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'with effort')

• नास्तिकाय: to an atheist
• नास्तिकाय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नास्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

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

• दातव्यम्: should be given
• दातव्यम्: Vidheyavisheshana (Predicative adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive: 'to be given')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पापरताय: to one devoted to sin
• पापरताय: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-रत (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + रत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः 'पापे रतः'

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn moment: Śiva lowers his voice, indicating secrecy; Devī listens intently. The environment suggests a sanctum-like privacy—dim lamps, closed pavilion, manuscript wrapped in cloth—symbolizing guarded rahasya.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred knowledge requires adhikāra (fitness); it must be protected from disbelief and immoral living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya discourse, linking right transmission to the sanctity of the place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription of restraint: do not transmit the rahasya to nāstikas or pāpa-ratas.