Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

अमात्येनाप्यपृष्टेन न वक्तव्यं नृपाग्रतः । महापमानभीतेन स्तोकमप्यत्र किंचन

Transliteration

amātyenāpyapṛṣṭena na vaktavyaṃ nṛpāgrataḥ | mahāpamānabhītena stokamapyatra kiṃcana

Translation

Mesmo um ministro, se não for perguntado, não deve falar diante do rei. Temendo grande desonra, não se deve dizer aqui nem a menor coisa.

Word by Word

• अमात्येन: by a minister
• अमात्येन: Karana (Agent-instrument: ‘by a minister’/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमात्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; ‘even’)

• अपृष्टेन: when not asked
• अपृष्टेन: Karana (Condition/means: ‘when unasked’/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक; √प्रच्छ् से क्त, नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; ‘not asked’ (past passive participle used substantively)

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

• वक्तव्यम्: should be spoken
• वक्तव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be spoken/should be said’ (here: should not be said)

• नृपाग्रतः: before the king
• नृपाग्रतः: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नृप + अग्रतस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-निष्पन्न)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb): ‘in front of the king’

• महापमानभीतेन: by one fearing great dishonor
• महापमानभीतेन: Karana (Cause/means: ‘out of fear’/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + अपमान + भीत (प्रातिपदिक; √भी से क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (महद् अपमानम् इति; तेन भीतः)

• स्तोकम्: a little
• स्तोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; ‘even’)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• किंचन: anything
• किंचन: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, 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

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech should be disciplined and context-appropriate; restraint is itself a dharmic virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None explicitly; it is counsel within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes ethical restraint in speech and protocol.