Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

पतिव्रता तु या नारी पतिशुश्रूषणे रता । अहिंसका आतिथेयाः स्वधर्मनिरताः सदा

Transliteration

pativratā tu yā nārī patiśuśrūṣaṇe ratā | ahiṃsakā ātitheyāḥ svadharmaniratāḥ sadā

Translation

Wahrhaft pativratā ist jene Frau, die Freude daran hat, ihrem Gatten zu dienen; die Gewaltlosigkeit (ahiṃsā) übt, die Gastfreundschaft pflegt und stets in ihrem eigenen Dharma verankert ist.

Word by Word

• पति-व्रता: a devoted-to-husband (chaste) woman
• पति-व्रता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (patau vrataṃ yasyāḥ = devoted to husband as vow)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपातः (particle: but/indeed)

• या: who (she who)
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• पति-शुश्रूषणे: in the service of (her) husband
• पति-शुश्रूषणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + शुश्रूषण (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √श्रु with desiderative sense, service)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative/7th), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (pateḥ śuśrūṣaṇe = in service to husband)

• रता: engaged/attached
• रता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √रम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (engaged/attached)

• अहिंसकाः: non-violent
• अहिंसकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अहिंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (collective description)

• आतिथेयाः: hospitable; honoring guests
• आतिथेयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आतिथेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (hospitable/guest-honouring)

• स्व-धर्म-निरताः: engaged in their own duty
• स्व-धर्म-निरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √रम् with नि-)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (sve dharme niratāḥ = engaged in one’s own duty)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual narration within the Dharmāraṇyakhaṇḍa dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the assembled ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A household courtyard: a woman offering water and food to a guest, caring for family with calm composure; symbols of ahiṃsā (feeding birds/cows), and orderly domestic ritual space.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pativratā-dharma is portrayed as service, non-violence, hospitality, and unwavering commitment to righteous duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the focus is household dharma taught within the Dharmāraṇya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Atithi-satkāra (honoring guests) is recommended as a continual dharmic observance.