Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

मार्दवं स्त्रीप्रयोगेषु वत्सलत्वं प्रजासु च । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो भयं नित्यं वृद्धवृत्त्युपजीवनम्

Transliteration

mārdavaṃ strīprayogeṣu vatsalatvaṃ prajāsu ca | brāhmaṇebhyo bhayaṃ nityaṃ vṛddhavṛttyupajīvanam

Translation

Sanftmut im Umgang mit Frauen, liebevolle Fürsorge für Abhängige und Volk; beständige ehrfürchtige Scheu vor den Brāhmaṇas und Leben nach dem ehrbaren Erwerb der Älteren—dies wird als dharmische Wesensart gepriesen.

Word by Word

• मार्दवं: gentleness, softness
• मार्दवं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्दव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्त्रीप्रयोगेषु: in dealings with women
• स्त्रीप्रयोगेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘स्त्रीणां प्रयोगेषु’

• वत्सलत्वं: affectionateness
• वत्सलत्वं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सलत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रजासु: towards/among subjects, people
• प्रजासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: from Brahmins; with regard to Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), बहुवचन

• भयं: fear, reverential fear
• भयं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नित्यं: always
• नित्यं: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम् (adverbial accusative/avyaya-like usage)

• वृद्धवृत्त्युपजीवनम्: living on the support of elders
• वृद्धवृत्त्युपजीवनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + उपजीवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वृद्धानां वृत्त्या उपजीवनम्’ (living by the means/support of elders)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder in Kāśī offers respectful seating and water to brāhmaṇas, while gently attending to women and children of the household; the scene conveys protective affection and restraint.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is expressed through gentleness, protective affection, reverence for the learned, and following time-tested elder-approved conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa framework; no single tirtha is named.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes behavioral discipline and reverence rather than a formal rite.