Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

सवर्णया करो ग्राह्यो धार्यः क्षत्रियया शरः । प्रतोदो वैश्यया धार्यो वासोंतः पज्जया तथा

Transliteration

savarṇayā karo grāhyo dhāryaḥ kṣatriyayā śaraḥ | pratodo vaiśyayā dhāryo vāsoṃtaḥ pajjayā tathā

Translation

Mit einer Frau der eigenen Varṇa soll die Hand ergriffen werden (zur Eheschließung). Mit einer Kṣatriya-Frau soll ein Pfeil gehalten werden; mit einer Vaiśya-Frau ein Treibstachel; und ebenso mit einer Śūdra-Frau der Saum eines Gewandes.

Word by Word

• सवर्णया: by/with a same-varṇa (woman)
• सवर्णया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (with a woman of same varṇa)

• करः: hand
• करः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ग्राह्यः: should be taken
• ग्राह्यः: Kriya (Predicative obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → ग्राह्य (कृदन्त, यत्-प्रत्यय; gerundive)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: to be taken); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• धार्यः: should be held/carried
• धार्यः: Kriya (Predicative obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धार्य (कृदन्त, यत्-प्रत्यय; gerundive)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• क्षत्रियया: by/with a Kṣatriya (woman)
• क्षत्रियया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• शरः: arrow
• शरः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रतोदः: goad/whip
• प्रतोदः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वैश्यया: by/with a Vaiśya (woman)
• वैश्यया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• धार्यः: should be held
• धार्यः: Kriya (Predicative obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धार्य (कृदन्त, यत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• वासोन्तः: garment-hem/end of cloth
• वासोन्तः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासोन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पज्जया: by/with a Śūdra-woman (pajjā)
• पज्जया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (thus/likewise)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A marriage-rite tableau: the groom performs pāṇigrahaṇa; beside him are displayed the ritual tokens—hand clasp, arrow, goad, and garment hem—each associated with a bride of different varṇa, rendered as symbolic objects rather than literal hierarchy.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Marriage is treated as a dharmic saṃskāra with prescribed forms; the rite signals social order and responsibility within household life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred context of the teaching, though the verse itself focuses on marital procedure rather than a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It prescribes what is to be ritually ‘held’ during the marriage act (hand/arrow/goad/garment hem), depending on varṇa.