Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

स्वसारं मातरं पुत्रवधूं गच्छन्नबीजवान् । कृतघ्नः सर्व कार्याणां वैफल्यं समुपाश्नुते

Transliteration

svasāraṃ mātaraṃ putravadhūṃ gacchannabījavān | kṛtaghnaḥ sarva kāryāṇāṃ vaiphalyaṃ samupāśnute

Translation

Wer sich seiner eigenen Schwester, seiner Mutter oder der Frau seines Sohnes nähert, wird „ohne Samen“ (impotent oder unfruchtbar). Und der Undankbare erleidet zudem in allen Vorhaben Misserfolg.

Word by Word

• sva-sāram: one's own sister
• sva-sāram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + svasṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (स्वा ससा/स्वसारम्=स्वसृम्)

• mātaram: mother
• mātaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• putra-vadhūm: son's wife/daughter-in-law
• putra-vadhūm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + vadhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुत्रस्य वधूः)

• gacchan: going to (having intercourse with)
• gacchan: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (going/approaching)

• abījavān: seedless/impotent
• abījavān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-bīja-vat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (अबीजं यस्य)

• kṛta-ghnaḥ: an ungrateful person
• kṛta-ghnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त; √kṛ/कृ) + ghna (प्रातिपदिक; √han/हन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कृतं हन्ति/उपकारं न जानाति इति)

• sarva: all
• sarva: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कार्याणाम्)

• kāryāṇām: of actions/undertakings
• kāryāṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• vaiphalyam: futility, failure
• vaiphalyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiphalya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• samupāśnute: attains/experiences
• samupāśnute: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-upa-aś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-context (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa discourse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral allegory: a family household shown with protective boundaries; a shadowy figure crossing taboo lines is followed by imagery of a withered seed/empty womb motif (infertility). Parallel scene: a benefactor helping someone, then the recipient turning away ungratefully; the ungrateful person’s endeavors collapse—broken tools, failed harvest, extinguished lamp.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma safeguards both bodily well-being and life’s prosperity; incestuous conduct and ingratitude are portrayed as root-causes of sterility and repeated failure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is ethical instruction rather than site-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the practical prescription is moral: avoid forbidden relations and cultivate gratitude to prevent adverse karma.