Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

स्त्रीधनान्युपजीवंति स्त्रीभिरत्यंतनिर्जिताः । अरक्षणं च नारीणां मद्यपस्त्रीनिषेवणम्

Transliteration

strīdhanānyupajīvaṃti strībhiratyaṃtanirjitāḥ | arakṣaṇaṃ ca nārīṇāṃ madyapastrīniṣevaṇam

Translation

العيش على مال المرأة، والاستسلام لهيمنة النساء لغياب ضبط النفس، وترك حماية النساء، وشرب المسكرات، ومخالطة النساء على سبيل الشهوة—كل ذلك يُذَمّ ويُعَدّ من الأفعال المعيبة.

Word by Word

• स्त्री: women
• स्त्री: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; 'women'

• धनानि: wealth, property
• धनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Plural)

• उपजीवन्ति: they live on, subsist on
• उपजीवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु) उप + जीव्
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Present Indicative, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada)

• स्त्रीभिः: by women
• स्त्रीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)

• अत्यन्त: excessively
• अत्यन्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: extremely)

• निर्जिताः: conquered, subdued
• निर्जिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जि (धातु) नि + जि; निर्जित (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; past passive participle)

• अरक्षणम्: non-protection, neglect of protection
• अरक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + रक्षण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• नारीणाम्: of women
• नारीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• मद्यप: wine-drinking
• मद्यप: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद्यप (प्रातिपदिक; मद्य + प)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; 'wine-drinking'

• स्त्री: women
• स्त्री: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; 'women'

• निषेवणम्: consorting with, indulgence in
• निषेवणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषेवण (प्रातिपदिक; √सेव् (धातु) नि + सेव् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; act of resorting/consorting)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara Khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at a crossroads: one path shows intoxication and disorder; the other shows sobriety, protection of women, and disciplined worship before a Śiva shrine. A guardian-like figure symbolizes rakṣaṇa and maryādā.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma demands self-restraint, responsible livelihood, and protective duty; intoxication and moral negligence are condemned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it lists censured behaviors, notably madyapāna (drinking liquor).