Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अपेक्षंते न मुग्धाक्ष्यः कुलं शीलं श्रुतं धनम् । रूपमेव समीक्षंते विषमेषु विमोहिताः

Transliteration

apekṣaṃte na mugdhākṣyaḥ kulaṃ śīlaṃ śrutaṃ dhanam | rūpameva samīkṣaṃte viṣameṣu vimohitāḥ

Translation

الفتَيات المفتونات لا يزِنَّ النَّسب ولا الخُلُق ولا العِلم ولا المال؛ فإذا أُضلِلن في شِباك الهوى المتشابك لم ينظرن إلا إلى جمال الظاهر.

Word by Word

• अपेक्षन्ते: they look for; they expect
• अपेक्षन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपेक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• न: Kriya-visheshana (Negation/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• मुग्धाक्ष्यः: the naive/infatuated-eyed women
• मुग्धाक्ष्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुग्ध + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शीलम्: character/conduct
• शीलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुतम्: learning; what is heard (scriptural learning)
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रूपम्: beauty/form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Avadharana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• समीक्षन्ते: they consider; they look at
• समीक्षन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• विषमेषु: in difficult/uneven situations
• विषमेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (or पुंलिङ्ग usage), सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विमोहिताः: deluded
• विमोहिताः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुह् (धातु) → विमोहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (context within Kāśīkhaṇḍa; likely Skanda relating the episode to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly or domestic scene where infatuated women gaze only at a handsome form, while symbols of lineage, learning, and wealth lie ignored; the moral is conveyed through contrasting objects and expressions.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire-clouded perception mistakes appearance for worth; dharma urges discernment grounded in character and wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa narrative setting (Vārāṇasī/Kāśī), though this line itself is a general ethical observation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it offers a dharmic caution about delusion and misjudgment.