Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64
Devanagari script
अमात्येनाप्यपृष्टेन न वक्तव्यं नृपाग्रतः । महापमानभीतेन स्तोकमप्यत्र किंचन
Transliteration
amātyenāpyapṛṣṭena na vaktavyaṃ nṛpāgrataḥ | mahāpamānabhītena stokamapyatra kiṃcana
Translation
ਅਮਾਤ੍ਯ ਵੀ, ਜੇ ਪੁੱਛਿਆ ਨਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੋਵੇ, ਰਾਜੇ ਦੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ। ਵੱਡੇ ਅਪਮਾਨ ਦੇ ਡਰ ਨਾਲ ਇੱਥੇ ਰਤਾ ਭਰ ਵੀ ਕੁਝ ਨਾ ਕਹੇ।
Word by Word
अमात्येनby a minister
अमात्येन:
Karana (Agent-instrument: ‘by a minister’/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; ‘even’)
अपृष्टेनwhen not asked
अपृष्टेन:
Karana (Condition/means: ‘when unasked’/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअपृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √प्रच्छ् से क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; ‘not asked’ (past passive participle used substantively)
नnot
न:
Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)
वक्तव्यम्should be spoken
वक्तव्यम्:
Kriya (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formतव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be spoken/should be said’ (here: should not be said)
नृपाग्रतःbefore the king
नृपाग्रतः:
Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनृप + अग्रतस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्न)
Formअव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb): ‘in front of the king’
महापमानभीतेनby one fearing great dishonor
महापमानभीतेन:
Karana (Cause/means: ‘out of fear’/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमहा + अपमान + भीत (प्रातिपदिक; √भी से क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (महद् अपमानम् इति; तेन भीतः)
स्तोकम्a little
स्तोकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootस्तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle; ‘even’)
अत्रhere
अत्र:
Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)
किंचनanything
किंचन:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootकिंचन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite)
Speaker
Dvija (Brāhmaṇa)
Tirtha Mahatmya
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
Skanda Dialogue
Listener: Rājā (king)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A minister stands with folded hands behind the king’s seat, lips closed, eyes lowered—symbolizing restraint; the brāhmaṇa’s presence sanctifies the courtly scene with dharmic gravity.
FAQs
Speech should be disciplined and context-appropriate; restraint is itself a dharmic virtue.
None explicitly; it is counsel within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative.
No ritual; it prescribes ethical restraint in speech and protocol.