Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

नाचक्षीत धयंतीं गां नेंद्रचापं प्रदर्शयेत् । नैकः सुप्यात्क्वचिच्छून्ये न शयानं प्रबोधयेत्

Transliteration

nācakṣīta dhayaṃtīṃ gāṃ neṃdracāpaṃ pradarśayet | naikaḥ supyātkvacicchūnye na śayānaṃ prabodhayet

Translation

不可观看母牛哺乳其犊，也不可指示彩虹。不可独自睡在荒寂之处，亦不可骤然唤醒熟睡之人。

Word by Word

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

• ācakṣīta: should say/tell
• ācakṣīta: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: cakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative/आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; धातु: √cakṣ (आख्याने/दर्शने)

• dhayantīm: (a cow) suckling/feeding (its calf)
• dhayantīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhayantī (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < dhā (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्राय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• gām: cow
• gām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• indra-cāpam: rainbow (Indra's bow)
• indra-cāpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: indra (प्रातिपदिक) + cāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Indra's bow), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• pradarśayet: should show
• pradarśayet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: darś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative/विध्यर्थ), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: pra-

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ekaḥ: alone
• ekaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (एकाकी)

• supyāt: should sleep
• supyāt: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: svap (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: √svap (शयने)

• kvacit: anywhere/ever
• kvacit: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kvacit (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place/time)

• śūnye: in a deserted place
• śūnye: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūnya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• śayānam: a sleeping person
• śayānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayāna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) < śī (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मपद-प्रयोग (one who is lying down)

• prabodhayet: should awaken
• prabodhayet: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative/प्रेरणार्थ) + उपसर्ग: pra-

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim in Kāśī practices restraint: averts gaze from a cow nursing her calf, refrains from pointing at a rainbow over the Gaṅgā, chooses a safe lodging with companions, and gently wakes a sleeping devotee near a ghat at dawn.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (as Indrācāpa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cultivate disciplined, non-intrusive conduct and personal safety as part of dharma while living or traveling in sacred Kāśī.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider sacred field of Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is implied; the verse teaches general dharma suitable for a pilgrim in Kāśī.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed; these are niyamas (behavioral restraints) supporting purity and auspiciousness.