Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

असंभाष्या न संभाष्याश्चातुर्मास्य व्रतस्थितैः । मौनं चापि सदा कार्यं तथ्यं वक्तव्यमेव वा

Transliteration

asaṃbhāṣyā na saṃbhāṣyāścāturmāsya vratasthitaiḥ | maunaṃ cāpi sadā kāryaṃ tathyaṃ vaktavyameva vā

Translation

சாதுர்மாஸ்ய விரதத்தில் இருப்போர் உரையாடத் தகாதவர்களுடன் பேசக் கூடாது; எப்போதும் மௌனம் காக்க வேண்டும், அல்லது பேசினால் உண்மையே பேச வேண்டும்।

Word by Word

• asaṃbhāṣyāḥ: (persons) not to be conversed with
• asaṃbhāṣyāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-saṃbhāṣya (प्रातिपदिक; saṃ + bhāṣ (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय, negated)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); ‘not to be spoken with’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• saṃbhāṣyāḥ: (persons) to be conversed with
• saṃbhāṣyāḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃbhāṣya (प्रातिपदिक; saṃ + bhāṣ (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (plural); ‘to be spoken with’

• cāturmāsya: of the Cāturmāsya (four-month observance)
• cāturmāsya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāturmāsya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (usage as adjective), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular); vratasthitaiḥ इति सम्बन्धः

• vrata-sthitaiḥ: by those abiding in the vow
• vrata-sthitaiḥ: Karaṇa (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata + sthita (प्रातिपदिक; sthā (धातु) → sthita)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (plural)

• maunam: silence
• maunam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक अव्यय (particle: also)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

• kāryam: should be done/observed
• kāryam: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक; kṛ (धातु) + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative: ‘to be done’)

• tathyam: truth, what is factual
• tathyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tathya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative 1st/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• vaktavyam: must be spoken
• vaktavyam: Kriya (Obligation predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaktavya (प्रातिपदिक; vac (धातु) + तव्यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेयविशेषणम् (predicative: ‘to be spoken’)

• eva: only/indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cāturmāsya-vrata in Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Cāturmāsya observer in Kāśī sits in quiet meditation near a ghat or temple courtyard, ignoring idle chatter; when addressed, he responds briefly and truthfully.

Characters & Entities

• Cāturmāsya
• Vrata
• Satya
• Mauna
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Control of speech—through silence and truth—protects the mind and preserves the sanctity of a vow.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative world, connecting vow-discipline with Kāśī’s dharmic atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid improper conversation/associations; keep mauna, or speak only what is true.