Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

यदि तान्भोः प्रशंसामि स्वीयान्स्तौतीति वाच्यता । निंदाम्यनर्हान्कस्माद्वा कष्टमेवोभयत्र च

Transliteration

yadi tānbhoḥ praśaṃsāmi svīyānstautīti vācyatā | niṃdāmyanarhānkasmādvā kaṣṭamevobhayatra ca

Translation

जर मी त्यांची प्रशंसा केली तर लोक म्हणतील—‘हा आपल्या लोकांचेच स्तवन करतो.’ आणि जर निंदेस अयोग्यांची निंदा केली, तर ती का करावी? दोन्ही बाजूंनीच कष्ट आहे.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (शर्त/सम्भावना-वाचक conjunction)

• tān: them
• tān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• bhoḥ: O! / hey
• bhoḥ: Sambodhana (Address particle/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhoḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बोधन-निपात/Interjection used in address)

• praśaṃsāmi: I praise
• praśaṃsāmi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√śaṃs (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• svīyān: one's own
• svīyān: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; विशेषण (own)

• stauti: praises
• stauti: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/उद्धरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/इति-निपात, quotative)

• vācyatā: (there is) the accusation/charge
• vācyatā: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vācyatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; भाववाचक-नाम (state of being called/charge)

• niṃdāmi: I blame / censure
• niṃdāmi: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nind (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, उत्तमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• anarhān: the unworthy
• anarhān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an-arha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचनम्; नञ्-समास/उपसर्गयुक्त (unworthy persons)

• kasmāt: from what? / why?
• kasmāt: Hetu (Reason/source question/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी, एकवचनम्; प्रश्न-सर्वनाम

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्प-बोधक)

• kaṣṭam: trouble / hardship
• kaṣṭam: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• ubhayatra: in both cases
• ubhayatra: Adhikarana (Scope/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ubhayatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देश/पक्ष-द्वये: in both cases/places)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय-बोधक)

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nārada-sthāpita-sthāna (unnamed)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Bhāskara (Ravi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada expresses a thoughtful hesitation: praising may seem nepotistic, blaming would be unjust; his face shows reflective restraint while Bhāskara listens.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Brāhmaṇas (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right speech is dharma: avoid self-serving praise and avoid unjust criticism; discernment and humility protect truth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is directly described; the verse concerns ethical restraint while speaking about holy persons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a moral reflection on stuti (praise) and nindā (blame).