Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

सुशीला शीलसंपन्ना रहस्तद्विरहातुरैः । प्रार्थितापि सुरूपाढ्यैर्नाभिलाषं बबंध सा

Transliteration

suśīlā śīlasaṃpannā rahastadvirahāturaiḥ | prārthitāpi surūpāḍhyairnābhilāṣaṃ babaṃdha sā

Translation

Suśīlā—endowed with virtue and refined conduct—though privately sought by handsome men tormented by separation from her, did not fasten her desire upon any of them.

Word by Word

• सुशीला: virtuous, well-conducted (woman)
• सुशीला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

• शीलसंपन्ना: endowed with good character
• शीलसंपन्ना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शील-सम्पन्न (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; सम्पद् धातु से ‘सम्पन्न’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘सम्पन्न’ = endowed; विशेषण

• रहः: secretly, in private
• रहः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = secretly/in private

• तद्विरहातुरैः: by those distressed by separation from her
• तद्विरहातुरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + विरह (प्रातिपदिक) + आतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; ‘तद्-विरह’ षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + ‘आतुर’ = तद्विरहातुर; विशेषण (instr. pl.)

• प्रार्थिता: (she was) requested/sought
• प्रार्थिता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√अर्थ् (धातु) → प्रार्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) = ‘having been requested/sought’

• अपि: even, though
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) = even/also

• सुरूपाढ्यैः: by handsome and wealthy (men)
• सुरूपाढ्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘सु-रूप’ (handsome) qualifying ‘आढ्य’ (rich/possessed); विशेषण (instr. pl.)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अभिलाषम्: desire, longing
• अभिलाषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिलाष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• बबन्ध: she formed/entertained (lit. bound)
• बबन्ध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda addressing Agastya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (traditional frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Suśīlā stands composed and inwardly detached while well-adorned suitors plead in private; her calm gaze and modest posture signal unshaken virtue.

Characters & Entities

• Suśīlā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast virtue (śīla) is shown through self-restraint—desire is not to be granted merely because one is praised or pursued.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa framework (Kāśī/Varanasi), though no distinct tirtha-name is stated in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is ethical—character and restraint.