Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

धर्मोयं सहचारिण्या जीवताजीवतापि वा । पत्या सहैव स्थातव्यं पतिव्रतयुजा सदा

Transliteration

dharmoyaṃ sahacāriṇyā jīvatājīvatāpi vā | patyā sahaiva sthātavyaṃ pativratayujā sadā

Translation

Dies ist das verkündete Dharma der hingebungsvollen Gefährtin-Gattin: ob im Leben oder im Tod, sie soll stets bei ihrem Gatten bleiben; so ist der Weg der pativratā.

Word by Word

• धर्मः: duty/law
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular (this)

• सहचारिण्या: by the wife (companion)
• सहचारिण्या: Adhikari/Agent-in-obligation (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहचारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by/for the wife/companion)

• जीवता: while alive
• जीवता: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular: while (the husband) is alive

• अजीवता: when dead
• अजीवता: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + जीवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular: while not alive/after death

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: even/also)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• पत्या: with the husband
• पत्या: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (with the husband)

• सह: with
• सह: Sahartha (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश (preposition-like indeclinable: with)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/only)

• स्थातव्यम्: should remain
• स्थातव्यम्: Kriya (Obligation/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थातव्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘is to be stayed/should remain’ (impersonal obligation)

• पतिव्रतयुजा: by a devoted wife
• पतिव्रतयुजा: Karana/Agent-in-obligation (करण/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति + व्रत + युज् (धातु) → युज्/युज्-प्रातिपदिक (युज्/युज्-समासान्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular: by one united with the vow to the husband (pativrata-yujā)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

Speaker

Skanda (didactic statement; deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An emblematic tableau: a devoted wife stands beside her husband with joined palms, a sacred fire and household shrine behind; the scene is timeless, presented as a dharma-ideal rather than a single event.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It presents pativratā-dharma as steadfast companionship—an ideal of unwavering marital commitment framed as religious duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified in this verse; the broader scriptural setting is the Kāśīkhaṇḍa of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general vrata-ideal (pativratā) is stated; no specific dāna, snāna, japa, or pilgrimage procedure is described here.