Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अकृत्वापि समालापं केनचिन्निजमंदिरे । मात्रा वा भार्यया वाथ सुतेन सुहृदाथवा

Transliteration

akṛtvāpi samālāpaṃ kenacinnijamaṃdire | mātrā vā bhāryayā vātha sutena suhṛdāthavā

Translation

తన స్వగృహంలో ఎవ్వరితోనూ మాటలాడక—తల్లితో గానీ, భార్యతో గానీ, కుమారునితో గానీ, స్నేహితునితో గానీ కూడా కాదు।

Word by Word

• a-kṛtvā: without doing
• a-kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛ (कृ-धातु) + nañ (नञ्-प्रत्यय, निषेध)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), with negation (नञ्); avyaya-prayoga; ‘without having done’

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अपि)
• Form: Particle (निपात) expressing ‘even/also’

• samālāpam: conversation, talk
• samālāpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sam-ā-lāpa (सम्+आ+लाप, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kenacit: by/with someone (anyone)
• kenacit: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सहकारक)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: kim (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; indefinite sense with -cit (चित्)

• nija-mandire: in (his) own house
• nija-mandire: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nija (निज) + mandira (मन्दिर)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘of oneself’ + ‘house’

• mātrā: with (his) mother
• mātrā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (मातृ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Coordination/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (वा)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक निपात) ‘or’

• bhāryayā: with (his) wife
• bhāryayā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāryā (भार्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• vā: or
• vā: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Coordination/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (वा)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक निपात) ‘or’

• atha: and/then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अथ)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘then/and also’

• sutena: with (his) son
• sutena: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (सुत-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• suhṛdā: with a friend
• suhṛdā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suhṛd (सुहृद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (Vedic/epic instrumental ending -ā for -d stems)

• atha: or/and
• atha: Sambandha (Connector/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अथ)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘or else/and then’ (in coordination)

• vā: or
• vā: Samuccaya/Vikalpa (Coordination/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (वा)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक निपात) ‘or’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarayū (contextual lead-in)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvijasattamāḥ (best of twice-born)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary pilgrim-like figure inside a quiet home, turning away from mother, wife, son, and friend without speaking; the household fades as he steps toward a spiritual resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Mother
• Wife
• Son
• Friend

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When dharma calls, attachment to domestic comforts and relationships is set aside with firm detachment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse illustrates renunciation through action rather than prescribing a rite.