Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

यथेष्टचेष्टो नभवेद्गुरोर्नयनगोचरे । न नामपरिगृह्णीयात्परोक्षेप्यविशेषणम्

Transliteration

yatheṣṭaceṣṭo nabhavedgurornayanagocare | na nāmaparigṛhṇīyātparokṣepyaviśeṣaṇam

Translation

ଗୁରୁଙ୍କ ଦୃଷ୍ଟିଗୋଚରରେ ସେ ଇଚ୍ଛାମତେ ଆଚରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ; ଗୁରୁ ଅନୁପସ୍ଥିତ ଥିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଆଦରସୂଚକ ବିଶେଷଣ ବିନା ଗୁରୁଙ୍କ ନାମ ଉଚ୍ଚାରଣ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ।

Word by Word

• यथेष्टचेष्टः: acting as he pleases
• यथेष्टचेष्टः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + चेष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘यथेष्टा चेष्टा यस्य’/‘यथेष्टं चेष्टते’ (acting as he pleases)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (should be)

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• नयनगोचरे: within (his) sight
• नयनगोचरे: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नयन (प्रातिपदिक) + गोचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; ‘नयनस्य गोचरः’ (within sight)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध)

• नाम: indeed / at all
• नाम: Nipata (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात; emphasis/indeed)

• परिगृह्णीयात्: should accept/take
• परिगृह्णीयात्: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (should accept/receive)

• परोक्षे: in (someone’s) absence
• परोक्षे: Adhikarana (Condition/occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (in absence/behind one’s back)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambhavana/Api (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/अपि-कार: even)

• अविशेषणम्: without specifying (who/which)
• अविशेषणम्: Karma (Object complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविशेषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘विशेषणरहितम्’ (without specification/qualification)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a gurukula hall: the guru walks by; the student stands with folded hands, eyes lowered, posture composed. In a separate vignette, the student speaks of the guru to others using an honorific, indicating reverent speech even in absence.

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence is measured by restraint and speech-discipline; respect for the guru must be consistent in presence and absence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

As part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa, the broader sanctity of Kāśī frames these teachings on refined conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral observance: disciplined conduct before the guru and using honorifics when referring to the guru.