Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

न कथ्येयं यस्य कस्य सुतस्याप्य परस्य च । अदांतायाथ दुष्टाय चलचित्ताय दांभिके

Transliteration

na kathyeyaṃ yasya kasya sutasyāpya parasya ca | adāṃtāyātha duṣṭāya calacittāya dāṃbhike

Translation

คำสอนนี้ไม่ควรกล่าวแก่ผู้ใดก็ได้ แม้แก่บุตรของตนก็ไม่ควร ยิ่งไม่ต้องกล่าวแก่ผู้อื่น อย่าบอกแก่ผู้ไร้วินัย คนชั่ว ผู้ใจวอกแวก หรือผู้หน้าซื่อใจคด

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• kathyeyam: should be told
• kathyeyam: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Optative, 3rd person singular, ātmanepada; passive sense: 'should be told')

• yasya: of whom
• yasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (Genitive singular; pronoun)

• kasya: of anyone
• kasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (Genitive singular; 'of anyone')

• sutasya: of a son
• sutasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन (Masculine, genitive singular)

• api: even, also
• api: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• parasya: of another
• parasya: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, genitive singular; adjective)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• adāntāya: to the unrestrained
• adāntāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, dative singular; adjective)

• atha: and, then
• atha: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनुक्रम/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: and/then)

• duṣṭāya: to the wicked
• duṣṭāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, dative singular; adjective)

• cala-cittāya: to one with a fickle mind
• cala-cittāya: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cala (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (Masculine, dative singular; adjective)

• dāmbhike: O hypocrite
• dāmbhike: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāmbhika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन (8), एकवचन (Masculine, vocative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from context; secrecy rule within instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A guru raises a hand in caution while a few unsteady figures linger at the edge; a sincere disciple sits close, calm and disciplined; the teaching scroll is partially covered, symbolizing guarded transmission.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred teachings require adhikāra—discipline, sincerity, and steadiness—otherwise they are misunderstood and misused.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse regulates transmission of teaching within the broader Mahātmya discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prescription of discernment (who may receive instruction) rather than an external ritual.