Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

भर्ता सदानुयातव्यो देहवच्छायया स्त्रिया । चंद्रमा ज्योत्स्नया यद्वद्विद्युत्वान्विद्युता यथा

Transliteration

bhartā sadānuyātavyo dehavacchāyayā striyā | caṃdramā jyotsnayā yadvadvidyutvānvidyutā yathā

Translation

Die Frau soll ihrem Gatten stets folgen wie der Schatten dem Leib; wie der Mond von seinem Mondlicht begleitet wird und der Blitz von seinem Leuchten.

Word by Word

• भर्ता: husband
• भर्ता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (always)

• अनुयातव्यः: to be followed
• अनुयातव्यः: Karta-predicative (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनु- (उपसर्ग) + या (धातु) → यातव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive): ‘to be followed’

• देहवत्: as (one’s) body
• देहवत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; उपमान-विशेषण (like a body-possessor)

• छायया: by/with (one’s) shadow
• छायया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छाया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण (by/with a shadow)

• स्त्रिया: by a woman
• स्त्रिया: Kartr (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृ-करणभावे (by a woman)

• चंद्रमा: the moon
• चंद्रमा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• ज्योत्स्नया: with moonlight
• ज्योत्स्नया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योत्स्ना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय (just as)

• विद्युत्वान्: one possessing lightning (cloud)
• विद्युत्वान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; वत्-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘possessing lightning’

• विद्युता: with lightning
• विद्युता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय (as/like)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poetic diptych: (1) woman and husband walking, her presence like a shadow; (2) moon with haloed moonlight over Gaṅgā; (3) monsoon cloud with lightning and its flash—three metaphors in one composition.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Agastya
• Kāśī (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches steadfast companionship through vivid similes, portraying loyalty as natural and continuous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is part of Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s broader dharma discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an instruction in conduct expressed through poetic comparison (upamā).