Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

दुष्टमपि न वाच्यं ते यथा बहुमतं मम । सैवास्मि संज्ञाहमिति वाच्यमेवं त्वयानघे

Transliteration

duṣṭamapi na vācyaṃ te yathā bahumataṃ mama | saivāsmi saṃjñāhamiti vācyamevaṃ tvayānaghe

Translation

“แม้มีสิ่งใดไม่สมควรเกิดขึ้น เจ้าก็อย่าได้เอ่ยปาก เพราะนี่คือมติอันมั่นคงของเรา โอ้ผู้ปราศจากมลทิน เจ้าจงกล่าวว่า ‘เรานี่แหละคือสัญชญา’”

Word by Word

• दुष्टम्: something bad
• दुष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेष्यरूपेण (as ‘something bad’)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपवाद/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (even/also)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• वाच्यम्: should be said
• वाच्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/Obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘should be spoken’

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान) एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/उपमानवाचक अव्यय (as/according as)

• बहुमतम्: (what is) much-approved, dear wish
• बहुमतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + मत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (बहु मतम्)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis: indeed/only)

• अस्मि: I am
• अस्मि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• संज्ञा: (my) name/identity
• संज्ञा: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• वाच्यम्: should be said
• वाच्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/Obligative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus/in this way)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन

• अनघे: O sinless one
• अनघे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Saṃjñā (to Chāyā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Saṃjñā gives a final, grave instruction: Chāyā must not speak even if something wrong happens and must declare herself Saṃjñā; Chāyā appears conflicted yet obedient.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃjñā
• Chāyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights the moral tension between concealment and dharma, showing how secrecy can set the stage for later consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it concerns speech and identity, not a rite.