Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

नकुलं सकुलं ब्रूयान्न कंचिन्मर्मणि स्पृशेत् । प्रपठन्नपि चैवाहमिदं सर्वं तथा शुकः

Transliteration

nakulaṃ sakulaṃ brūyānna kaṃcinmarmaṇi spṛśet | prapaṭhannapi caivāhamidaṃ sarvaṃ tathā śukaḥ

Translation

ଅହିତହୀନ ଓ ଯଥୋଚିତ କଥା କହିବା ଉଚିତ, କାହାର ମର୍ମସ୍ଥାନକୁ ସ୍ପର୍ଶ କରିବା ଉଚିତ ନୁହେଁ; ମୁଁ ଏସବୁ ପଢ଼ିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ, ମୁଁ ମଧ୍ୟ କେବଳ ଶୁକ ପରି।

Word by Word

• नकुलम्: mongoose (nakula)
• नकुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• सकुलम्: together with its family
• सकुलम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया एकवचन; समास: सह कुलेन (with its family)

• ब्रूयात्: should say/utter
• ब्रूयात्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Modifier (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• कञ्चित्: anyone/someone
• कञ्चित्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थ (indefinite)

• मर्मणि: in a vital spot/weak point
• मर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• स्पृशेत्: should touch/strike
• स्पृशेत्: Kriya (Injunctive/विधि)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• प्रपठन्: reciting
• प्रपठन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पठ् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तरि

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Modifier (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ (concessive/also)

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

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Modifier (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (सर्वम्)

• सर्वम्: all (of it)
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• तथा: thus/in that manner
• तथा: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• शुकः: Śuka (the sage/parrot-named)
• शुकः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced; self-referential humility fits a narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sage instructs disciples: one disciple speaks gently; another, proud reciter, is shown with a parrot perched nearby as a mirror of rote repetition; a subtle depiction of ‘marman’ as a lotus-heart symbol not to be pierced by words.

Characters & Entities

• Śuka (as 'parrot' metaphor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right speech avoids harm and avoids striking others’ vulnerabilities; mere recitation without inner transformation is likened to a parrot’s chatter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it prescribes ethical restraint in speech and behavior.