Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

चत्वार एते विप्राणां धर्म्याः पाणिग्रहाः स्मृताः । आसुरः क्रयणाद्द्रव्यैर्गांधर्वोन्योन्य मैत्रतः

Transliteration

catvāra ete viprāṇāṃ dharmyāḥ pāṇigrahāḥ smṛtāḥ | āsuraḥ krayaṇāddravyairgāṃdharvonyonya maitrataḥ

Translation

Diese vier gelten als die dharmischen Formen der Eheschließung für Brahmanen. Die Āsura-Ehe entsteht durch Erwerb mittels Reichtum, während die Gāndharva-Ehe aus gegenseitiger Zuneigung hervorgeht.

Word by Word

• चत्वारः: four
• चत्वारः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier to पाणिग्रहाः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• एते: these
• एते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• विप्राणाम्: of Brahmins
• विप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• धर्म्याः: righteous/according to dharma
• धर्म्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (to पाणिग्रहाः)

• पाणिग्रहाः: marriages (forms of taking the hand)
• पाणिग्रहाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणिग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (hand-taking); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• स्मृताः: are declared/remembered
• स्मृताः: Kriyā (Predicative: ‘are said/considered’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• आसुरः: the Āsura (marriage)
• आसुरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विवाह-प्रकार-नाम

• क्रयणात्: from purchase/sale
• क्रयणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रयण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्रव्यैः: with wealth/goods
• द्रव्यैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गान्धर्वः: the Gāndharva (marriage)
• गान्धर्वः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विवाह-प्रकार-नाम

• अन्योन्य: mutually
• अन्योन्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्योन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् परस्परार्थक-विशेषण; (here) तृतीया/सप्तमी-अर्थे अव्ययवत् ‘mutual(ly)’

• मैत्रतः: from friendship/affection
• मैत्रतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मैत्रतस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from friendship/through mutual affection’

Speaker

Skanda (continuing from 38.1)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: on one side, the four dharmic marriages symbolized by Vedic rites; on the other, Āsura shown as wealth exchange; Gāndharva shown as a couple choosing each other in mutual affection.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts dharmically sanctioned marriage ideals with socially driven forms based on wealth or passion, urging alignment with righteous norms.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is glorified in this verse; it is a normative dharma taxonomy within Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No detailed rite; it characterizes Āsura as wealth-based ‘purchase’ and Gāndharva as mutual-consent union.