Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

यम उवाच । अत्र ते सुमहद्गुह्यं कीर्तयिष्ये द्विजोत्तध । गोपनीयं प्रयत्नेन वचनान्मम सर्वदा

Transliteration

yama uvāca | atra te sumahadguhyaṃ kīrtayiṣye dvijottadha | gopanīyaṃ prayatnena vacanānmama sarvadā

Translation

ยมตรัสว่า: โอ้ทวิชผู้ประเสริฐ ณ ที่นี้เราจักประกาศความลับอันยิ่งใหญ่แก่ท่าน จงรักษาวาจาของเราไว้ด้วยความเพียร และปกปิดคำสอนนี้ไว้เสมอ

Word by Word

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of place)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सुमहत्-गुह्यम्: a very great secret
• सुमहत्-गुह्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• कीर्तयिष्ये: I shall proclaim
• कीर्तयिष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कीर्तय् (धातु; √कीर्त् causative/णिच्)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• द्विजोत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विजोत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (द्विजानाम् उत्तमः)

• गोपनीयम्: to be kept secret
• गोपनीयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोपनीय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √गुप्/गोप् + अनीय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; अनीय-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be concealed’)

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वचनात्: from (my) words / because of the instruction
• वचनात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of time)

Speaker

Yama

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijottama (unnamed brāhmaṇa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama, solemn and authoritative, addresses a reverent brāhmaṇa, raising a hand in instruction as if unveiling a hidden tīrtha-secret; the setting suggests a dharma-sabhā or liminal court of justice.

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Dvijottama (Brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Certain dharma teachings are presented as ‘rahasya’—to be received with seriousness, discretion, and faithful practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it introduces an upcoming confidential instruction that may include a tīrtha or vrata.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is given yet; Yama announces he will reveal a secret upadeśa.