Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

स्त्रीसंबंधेप्यपस्मारि क्षयि श्वित्रि कुलं त्यजेत् । अभिशस्तिसमायुक्तं तथा कन्याप्रसूं त्यजेत्

Transliteration

strīsaṃbaṃdhepyapasmāri kṣayi śvitri kulaṃ tyajet | abhiśastisamāyuktaṃ tathā kanyāprasūṃ tyajet

Translation

Even through connections by women, one should shun a family marked by epilepsy, consumption, or leucoderma; likewise one should avoid a family under grave reproach, and also one known for producing only daughters.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीसंबन्धे: in (case of) relation with a woman
• स्त्रीसंबन्धे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री-संबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय

• अपस्मारि: epileptic
• अपस्मारि: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपस्मारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-प्रयोगे विशेषण; अत्र नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन-रूपसदृश (stem in -in); विशेषण (epileptic)

• क्षयि: consumptive (having wasting disease)
• क्षयि: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; क्षय-रोगयुक्त (consumptive); रूपम् अव्यक्त-प्रयोग (in-stem)

• श्वित्रि: having śvitra (skin disease)
• श्वित्रि: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्वित्रिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; श्वित्र-रोगयुक्त (leprous/white-spot disease); in-stem form

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अभिशस्तिसमायुक्तम्: associated with a curse/accusation (ill-reputed)
• अभिशस्तिसमायुक्तम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिशस्ति-सम्-आयुक्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (कुलम् इति)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कन्याप्रसूम्: a girl-bearing (woman/family)
• कन्याप्रसूम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या-प्रसू (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• त्यजेत्: should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa instructional discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A consultation scene: elders and an ācārya discuss prospective marriage alliances, weighing omens, reputation, and health; the mood is serious and protective of dharma.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in household life requires discernment about alliances that may harm stability, duty, and lineage responsibilities.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, but the verse itself is normative dharma instruction rather than site-glorification.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A practical prescription: avoid certain families for marriage alliances to safeguard dharmic household continuity.