Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अस्यां चासक्तहृदयः स विप्रो मोहयंत्रितः । कदाचिदपि नैवागाज्ज्येष्ठपत्नीं पतिव्रताम्

Transliteration

asyāṃ cāsaktahṛdayaḥ sa vipro mohayaṃtritaḥ | kadācidapi naivāgājjyeṣṭhapatnīṃ pativratām

Translation

Da sein Herz an sie hing, ging jener Brahmane, von Verblendung gefesselt, niemals, nicht ein einziges Mal, zu seiner älteren Gattin, der treuen Pativratā.

Word by Word

• अस्याम्: in her
• अस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (and)

• आसक्तहृदयः: whose heart was attached (to her)
• आसक्तहृदयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसक्त (कृदन्त, √सञ्ज्/सक्त) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य हृदयम् आसक्तम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोहयन्त्रितः: controlled by delusion
• मोहयन्त्रितः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + यन्त्रित (कृदन्त, √यन्त्र्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (मोहेन यन्त्रितः = restrained/controlled by delusion)

• कदाचित्: ever/at any time
• कदाचित्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (at some time/ever)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/also), बलार्थे (emphatic)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation)

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अगात्: went
• अगात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ज्येष्ठपत्नीम्: the elder wife
• ज्येष्ठपत्नीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (elder wife)

• पतिव्रताम्: devoted to her husband
• पतिव्रताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (devoted to her husband)

Speaker

Śrī Devī (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni/assembly (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa, eyes clouded by infatuation, remains with the younger wife; the elder wife—quiet, devoted, and dignified—stands apart, neglected yet steadfast in her vow.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Devī
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Jyeṣṭha-patnī (elder wife)
• Bhāminī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Moha (delusion) distorts duty: attachment leads to neglect of rightful responsibilities, harming dharma and generating suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse delivers a dharmic warning within a karmic backstory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative moral lesson about gṛhastha conduct.