Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

मातुश्चरित्रं तनयो धत्ते दुर्भाषणैरिति । पिता पितेन पापीयाञ्च्छ्रुतिस्मृतिपथीनकिम्

Transliteration

mātuścaritraṃ tanayo dhatte durbhāṣaṇairiti | pitā pitena pāpīyāñcchrutismṛtipathīnakim

Translation

ଲୋକେ କହନ୍ତି—“ଦୁର୍ବାକ୍ୟରେ ପୁତ୍ର ମାତାର ଚରିତ୍ର ପ୍ରକାଶ କରେ।” ଆଉ—“ପିତା ପିତାଙ୍କ କାରଣରେ ପିତା ଅଧିକ ପାପୀ; ସେମାନେ କି ଶ୍ରୁତି‑ସ୍ମୃତି ପଥର ଅନୁଗାମୀ ନୁହନ୍ତି?”

Word by Word

• मातुः: of (his) mother
• मातुः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• चरित्रम्: conduct, character
• चरित्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• तनयः: the son
• तनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• धत्ते: assumes, takes up
• धत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• दुर्भाषणैः: by abusive words
• दुर्भाषणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्भाषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• पिता: the father
• पिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पितेन: by/through the father
• पितेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पापीयान्: more sinful, worse
• पापीयान्: Karta (Predicate nominative/विशेष्य-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापीयस् (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• श्रुतिस्मृतिपथीन: one who follows the path of śruti and smṛti
• श्रुतिस्मृतिपथीन: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुति + स्मृति + पथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (श्रुतिस्मृत्योः पथी = one who follows the path of śruti & smṛti)

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

• किम्: what? / is it not?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative)

Speaker

Unspecified admonisher in narrative (within Skanda’s Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse to Agastya-context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī / Avimukta-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral tableau in Kāśī: townspeople murmuring censure as a son speaks harshly; elders invoke Śruti–Smṛti; the unseen presence of Viśveśvara as moral witness.

Characters & Entities

• Śruti
• Smṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Harsh speech stains not only the speaker but also the perceived honor of one’s family; dharma includes disciplined speech aligned with Śruti and Smṛti.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; this is ethical instruction within the Kāśī section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is on moral accountability and adherence to Śruti–Smṛti norms.