Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 47

Devanagari script

त्वया राजन्प्रकृतिना कुलटागणिकादयः । मदिरास्वादनिरता निषेव्यंते सदा स्त्रियः

Transliteration

tvayā rājanprakṛtinā kulaṭāgaṇikādayaḥ | madirāsvādaniratā niṣevyaṃte sadā striyaḥ

Translation

O King, by your very disposition you constantly keep company with women such as harlots and courtesans, addicted to the taste of wine.

Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया) एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम् (instrumental singular)

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन) एकवचनम्

• प्रकृतिना: by (your) nature/temperament
• प्रकृतिना: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया) एकवचनम्

• कुलटा-गणिका-आदयः: harlots, courtesans, and others
• कुलटा-गणिका-आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुलटा (प्रातिपदिक) + गणिका (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (कुलटाश्च गणिकाश्च) + ‘आदि’ (etc.)

• मदिरा-स्वादन-निरताः: addicted to drinking liquor
• मदिरा-स्वादन-निरताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदिरा (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वादन (स्वद् धातोः ल्युट्/अन-प्रत्ययान्त भाव/कर्म-नाम) + निरत (रम्/रि √रम्? ‘निरत’ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (मदिरायाः स्वादने निरताः)

• निषेव्यन्ते: are frequented/consorted with
• निषेव्यन्ते: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (are resorted to/are frequented)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikaraṇa (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of time)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा) बहुवचनम्

Speaker

Queen

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The King

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A queen admonishes a king in a palace chamber; the king is shown with signs of dissipation—wine cup, revelry silhouettes—contrasted with the queen’s composed purity.

Characters & Entities

• King
• Queen

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association with vice and intoxication erodes dharma and blocks the fruits of mantra and worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is referenced; the verse is ethical admonition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoidance of immoral company and intoxication is implied as part of righteous conduct (sadācāra).