Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

नानाव्रतोपदेशैश्च कदाचित्स पतिव्रताः । क्षोभयामास बहुशः सदृष्टांत कथानकैः

Transliteration

nānāvratopadeśaiśca kadācitsa pativratāḥ | kṣobhayāmāsa bahuśaḥ sadṛṣṭāṃta kathānakaiḥ

Translation

Mitunter lehrte er vielerlei Gelübde und brachte wieder und wieder selbst die pativratā, die treuen, frommen Frauen, aus der Fassung, indem er beispielreiche Geschichten als verführerischen Köder nutzte.

Word by Word

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-प्रयोग)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverbial: various)

• व्रतोपदेशैः: by teachings of vows
• व्रतोपदेशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत + उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—व्रत-उपदेशः = व्रतानाम् उपदेशाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• पतिव्रताः: faithful wives
• पतिव्रताः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; समासः—पति-व्रता = पतिं व्रतं यस्याः (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय)

• क्षोभयामास: agitated/disturbed
• क्षोभयामास: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्षुभ् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बहुशः: many times
• बहुशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: repeatedly/much)

• सदृष्टान्त: with examples
• सदृष्टान्त: Visheshana (Qualifier of instrument/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + दृष्टान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (कथानकैः इति सह); समासः—स-दृष्टान्तः = दृष्टान्तयुक्तः (कर्मधारय)

• कथानकैः: by stories/anecdotes
• कथानकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथानक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśī Khaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A smooth-tongued preacher sits amid a small assembly, spinning illustrative tales; devoted women listen, some visibly unsettled, while a sober elder gestures caution from the side.

Characters & Entities

• vrata teachings
• pativratāḥ (devoted wives)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even ‘religious advice’ can be weaponized; sincerity and dharmic intent matter more than attractive teachings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī, where the narrative highlights both the power and the potential misuse of vrata discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vratās are referenced generally, but no particular vow, date, or procedure is specified in this verse.