Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

न हीदृशमनायुष्यं लोके किंचन विद्यते । यादृशं पुरुषस्येह परदारोपसेवनम्

Transliteration

na hīdṛśamanāyuṣyaṃ loke kiṃcana vidyate | yādṛśaṃ puruṣasyeha paradāropasevanam

Translation

In dieser Welt gibt es nichts, was Leben und Wohlergehen eines Mannes so zerstört wie der Umgang mit der Frau eines anderen.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Prayojaka (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध) = negation

• हि: indeed
• हि: Prayojaka (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) = indeed/for

• ईदृशम्: such
• ईदृशम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईदृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st)/द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा—‘ईदृशम् ... विद्यते’ (such exists)

• अनायुष्यम्: life-shortening
• अनायुष्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन-आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुष (आयुष्यं न)

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• किंचन: anything
• किंचन: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचन (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अनिश्चित/सामान्य (anything)

• विद्यते: exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) (सत्तायाम्)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; अर्थः—अस्ति (exists)

• यादृशम्: as (that which)
• यादृशम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यादृश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक (correlative with ईदृशम्)

• पुरुषस्य: of a man
• पुरुषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (of a man)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = here/in this world

• परदारोपसेवनम्: consorting with another's wife
• परदारोपसेवनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-दार-उपसेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: (परस्य दाराः) + उपसेवनम् (consorting)

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (didactic statement within the story)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a sage instructs a gathered audience (or the penitent) with calm authority; behind, symbolic imagery shows a household protected by dharma versus a shadowy scene of ruin caused by illicit desire.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sexual misconduct, especially violating another’s marriage, is portrayed as a powerful destroyer of merit, peace, and longevity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred geography appears in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is a moral prohibition framed as a universal warning.