Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा विप्रसतीशापं तत्पत्नी रतिलालसम् । पतिं निवारयामास वैधव्यातिबिभ्यती

Transliteration

jñātvā viprasatīśāpaṃ tatpatnī ratilālasam | patiṃ nivārayāmāsa vaidhavyātibibhyatī

Translation

Als die Königin den Fluch der tugendhaften Brahmanenfrau erfuhr und ihren Gemahl nach Lust verlangend sah, hielt sie ihn immer wieder zurück, aus Furcht vor dem Witwentum.

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having learned
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाल (having known)

• विप्रसतीशापम्: the curse of the brahmin woman
• विप्रसतीशापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + सती + शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• तत्पत्नी: his wife
• तत्पत्नी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• रतिलालसम्: eager for pleasure
• रतिलालसम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रति + लालस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पतिम्)

• पतिम्: her husband
• पतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• निवारयामास: restrained/prevented
• निवारयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वṛ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• वैधव्यात्: from widowhood / fearing widowhood
• वैधव्यात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु-अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैधव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन

• बिभ्यती: fearing
• बिभ्यती: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भी (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle active), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (तत्पत्नी)

Speaker

Narrator (context not explicit in excerpt; likely Purāṇic narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In the palace, the queen anxiously restrains the king who is eager for pleasure, reminding him of the brāhmaṇa-wife’s curse; her posture is protective, his is restless.

Characters & Entities

• viprasatī (chaste brāhmaṇa woman)
• rājapatnī (queen)
• rājā (king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire must be governed by dharma and prudence; one person’s past wrongdoing can endanger the wellbeing of the entire household.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes ethical restraint within family life.