Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

संसारकल्मषात्त्रात्री कलत्रमिति सा ततः । एवंविधां प्रियां को वै नानुकंपितुमर्हति

Transliteration

saṃsārakalmaṣāttrātrī kalatramiti sā tataḥ | evaṃvidhāṃ priyāṃ ko vai nānukaṃpitumarhati

Translation

Weil sie vor den Makeln des weltlichen Daseins (Saṃsāra) schützt, wird sie daher „kalatra“ (Gattin/Gefährtin) genannt. Wer sollte einer solchen Geliebten nicht mit Mitgefühl begegnen?

Word by Word

• saṃsāra-kalmaṣāt: from the impurity of worldly existence
• saṃsāra-kalmaṣāt: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kalmaṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (संसारस्य कल्मषम्)

• trātrī: protectress, savior
• trātrī: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: trā (त्रा धातु)
• Form: तृन्/तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (agent noun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘त्रात्री’ = protectress/saviouress

• kalatram: wife, spouse
• kalatram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इति-कारक अव्यय (quotative)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tataḥ: therefore
• tataḥ: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु/अनन्तर-वाचक अव्यय (therefore/then)

• evaṃ-vidhām: such, of this kind
• evaṃ-vidhām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (एवंविधा = of such a kind)

• priyām: beloved (woman)
• priyām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• kaḥ: who
• kaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Emphasis/निश्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/उद्गार-वाचक अव्यय (indeed)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• anukampitum: to show compassion to
• anukampitum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-kamp (कम्प् धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), उपसर्गः ‘अनु-’; अर्थः ‘अनुकम्पा’ = compassion

• arhati: deserves, ought
• arhati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: arh (अर्ह् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate household scene: the beloved companion stands between the devotee and a cloud of ‘kalmaṣa’ (dark stains), dispersing it with a lamp of dharma; the devotee’s posture shows softened pride and gratitude.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Compassion and protection within marriage are dharmic duties; the wife is portrayed as a moral safeguard in worldly life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No pilgrimage site is mentioned; the verse emphasizes domestic dharma rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a moral exhortation to practice anukampā (compassion) in household life.