Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

यदेषार्यपथं हित्वा जारमार्गरता पुरा । तेन पापेन केनापि दुर्वृत्ता दुर्भगापि वा

Transliteration

yadeṣāryapathaṃ hitvā jāramārgaratā purā | tena pāpena kenāpi durvṛttā durbhagāpi vā

Translation

Weil sie den edlen Pfad verließ und einst Gefallen am Weg unerlaubter Liebhaber fand, wurde sie durch jene Sünde in diesem Leben von schlechtem Wandel und zudem unglückselig.

Word by Word

• yat: that (fact) that
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत्

• eṣā: this woman
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृ

• ārya-patham: the noble path
• ārya-patham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म; समासः—आर्यः पन्थाः (noble path)

• hitvā: having abandoned
• hitvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having abandoned’

• jāra-mārga-ratā: devoted to the path of a paramour
• jāra-mārga-ratā: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jāra + mārga + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—जारस्य मार्गः (paramour’s way) तस्मिन् रता (devoted)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• tena: by that
• tena: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेतु/करण

• pāpena: by (that) sin
• pāpena: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेतु/करण

• kena: by some (unspecified)
• kena: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिर्दिष्ट-हेतु (‘by what/some’)

• api: even / also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

• durvṛttā: of bad conduct
• durvṛttā: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—दुष्टं वृत्तम् यस्याः/दुष्टवृत्ता

• durbhagā: unfortunate
• durbhagā: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + bhaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—दुर्भाग्ययुक्ता

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कार-अव्यय (also/even)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta-style narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split narrative: earlier-life scene of abandoning the noble path for clandestine meetings; present-life scene of social turmoil, misfortune, and inner restlessness; dharma-path shown as a bright road left behind.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Turning away from ārya-patha (righteous living) is depicted as creating patterns of misfortune and moral instability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it contributes to the moral background before the later praise of Śiva-vrata.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical warning centered on conduct (ācāra).