Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

आनुकूल्यं कलत्रं चेत्त्रिदिवेनापि किं ततः । प्रातिकूल्यं कलत्रं चेन्नरकेणापि किं ततः

Transliteration

ānukūlyaṃ kalatraṃ cettridivenāpi kiṃ tataḥ | prātikūlyaṃ kalatraṃ cennarakeṇāpi kiṃ tataḥ

Translation

Ist die Gattin wohlgesinnt und in Harmonie, wozu braucht man selbst den Himmel? Ist die Gattin aber feindselig, was macht es aus, selbst wenn man im Himmel weilt—was nützt es dann?

Word by Word

• ānukūlyam: favorable
• ānukūlyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ānukūlya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विधेयविशेषण (favorable)

• kalatram: wife/spouse
• kalatram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त/सम्भावनाबोधक अव्यय (if)

• tri-divena: even with heaven (the three worlds)
• tri-divena: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + diva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (the three heavens; i.e., svarga)

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

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• tataḥ: then (what of it?)
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Idiomatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्/ततः इत्यर्थे अव्यय (then/therefrom; idiom: ‘what then?’)

• prātikūlyam: unfavorable
• prātikūlyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prātikūlya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (unfavorable)

• kalatram: wife/spouse
• kalatram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (if)

• narakeṇa: even with hell
• narakeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

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

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• tataḥ: then (what of it?)
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Idiomatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘what then?’ इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśī Khaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasting panels: one shows a harmonious couple with warm light and calm faces (heaven-like); the other shows a quarrelsome couple under dark clouds (hell-like), illustrating the verse’s paradox.

Characters & Entities

• Kalatram (spouse)
• Tridiva (Svarga)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The lived reality of harmony or conflict at home can outweigh even heavenly promises; dharma is tested in daily relationships.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is mentioned; the verse is part of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it offers a moral evaluation of household life using svarga/naraka imagery.