Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

महातपः सहायेन दमदानदयायुजा । लभ्यते स महाप्राज्ञो नान्यथा सदृशः पतिः

Transliteration

mahātapaḥ sahāyena damadānadayāyujā | labhyate sa mahāprājño nānyathā sadṛśaḥ patiḥ

Translation

Mit großer Askese als Gefährtin—verbunden mit Selbstzucht, Freigebigkeit und Mitgefühl—wird ein solcher höchst weiser Gatte erlangt; andernfalls wird kein Ehemann von gleicher Würde gewonnen.

Word by Word

• महातपः: great austerity
• महातपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महच्च तत् तपः)

• सहायेन: with the help
• सहायेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• दमदानदयायुजा: joined with self-control, charity, and compassion
• दमदानदयायुजा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दम + दान + दया + युज् (कृदन्त; √युज् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘युज्’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle: ‘joined/possessed’), समासः—तत्पुरुष (दमदानदयाभिः युजा)

• लभ्यते: is obtained
• लभ्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

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

• महाप्राज्ञः: greatly wise
• महाप्राज्ञः: Visheshana (Appositive adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् प्राज्ञः)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘otherwise’

• सदृशः: similar / comparable
• सदृशः: Visheshana (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• पतिः: husband
• पतिः: Karta (Subject complement/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Pitā (Father)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (implied)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kanyā (maiden)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker performing austerity near the Ganga, while simultaneously giving alms and showing compassion (feeding a hungry person, tending an injured animal); the 'ideal husband/attainment' appears as a radiant, wise figure in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Austerity supported by restraint, generosity, and compassion produces the ripened merit that brings the highest dharmic companionship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the Kāśī Khanda context implies sacred geography, but the verse stresses ethical-soteriological means.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity), dama (self-control), dāna (charity), and dayā (compassion) are prescribed as the integrated discipline.