Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

क्लीबं वा दुरवस्थंवा व्याधितं वृद्धमेव वा । सुस्थितं दुःस्थितं वापि पतिमेकं न लंघयेत

Transliteration

klībaṃ vā duravasthaṃvā vyādhitaṃ vṛddhameva vā | susthitaṃ duḥsthitaṃ vāpi patimekaṃ na laṃghayeta

Translation

Ob der Gatte kraftlos ist oder in Not, krank oder schon alt; ob er in guter Lage ist oder bedrängt—sie soll ihren einen Gatten weder verlassen noch ihm untreu werden.

Word by Word

• क्लीबम्: impotent/effeminate
• क्लीबम्: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्लीब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पतिम् इति)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प-समुच्चय (disjunctive particle): ‘or’

• दुरवस्थम्: in a bad condition
• दुरवस्थम्: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग) + अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण; उपसर्गपूर्वक-समासवत् (दुर्+अवस्था)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प-निपात

• व्याधितम्: diseased/afflicted
• व्याधितम्: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याधित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त); √व्यध्/व्याध् (धातु) ‘to afflict’

• वृद्धम्: old/aged
• वृद्धम्: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-विशेषण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) √वृध्

• एव: indeed/even
• एव: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प-निपात

• सुस्थितम्: well-situated/healthy
• सुस्थितम्: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) √स्था; विशेषण

• दुःस्थितम्: ill-situated/unwell
• दुःस्थितम्: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुः (उपसर्ग) + स्थित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) √स्था; विशेषण

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प-निपात

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (addition)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (also/even)

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• एकम्: one (alone)
• एकम्: Karma (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (पतिम्)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• लङ्घयेत्: should not transgress
• लङ्घयेत्: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लङ्घ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wife tending an aged or ill husband—offering water, supporting him to sit—while the sacred city ambience (lamps, distant ghats) suggests that caregiving itself is a pilgrimage act.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Pativratā-dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches unwavering commitment and compassion as dharma, independent of changing fortunes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s sanctified instruction; it does not name a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; it prescribes steadfast ethical observance (vrata-like loyalty).