Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 81

Devanagari script

परयोषित्समासक्तिरायुः कीर्ति बलं सुखम् । हरेत्स्वर्ग गतिं चापि तस्मात्तां वर्जयेत्सुधीः

Transliteration

parayoṣitsamāsaktirāyuḥ kīrti balaṃ sukham | haretsvarga gatiṃ cāpi tasmāttāṃ varjayetsudhīḥ

Translation

Die Anhänglichkeit an die Frau eines anderen raubt Lebenszeit, Ruhm, Kraft und Glück und verdirbt sogar den Weg zum Himmel; darum soll der Weise sie meiden.

Word by Word

• परयोषित्समासक्तिः: attachment to another's woman
• परयोषित्समासक्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + योषित् (प्रातिपदिक) + समासक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (परयोषिति समासक्तिः) (nominative singular)

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• कीर्तिम्: fame
• कीर्तिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• बलम्: strength
• बलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• हरेत्: would take away; may steal
• हरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्वर्ग: heaven
• स्वर्ग: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (accusative singular; as qualifier of गतिम्)

• गतिम्: course; destiny; attainment
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (accusative singular)

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

• अपि: also; even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थे/समुच्चय/अवधारण (particle: also/even)

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन (ablative singular: therefore/from that)

• ताम्: that (attachment)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुधीः: a wise person
• सुधीः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + धी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु-धीः = सुदीः, 'good/intelligent-minded') (nominative singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a wise teacher-like figure gestures in admonition; behind, allegorical figures of Āyuḥ, Kīrti, Bala, Sukha depart from a man tempted by forbidden attachment; a dim path to svarga closes.

Characters & Entities

• Svarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Moral restraint is not merely social—misconduct depletes vitality and merit, obstructing higher destinies.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the teaching functions as a dharmic precondition to benefit from Kāśī’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A behavioral prohibition is given: avoid attachment to another’s spouse as a core niyama.