Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

विधवा बहुरेखेण विरेखेण दरिद्रिणी । भिक्षुकी सुशिराढ्येन नारी करतलेन वै

Transliteration

vidhavā bahurekheṇa virekheṇa daridriṇī | bhikṣukī suśirāḍhyena nārī karatalena vai

Translation

A woman is said to become a widow if her palm has too many lines, and to be poor if it is marked by broken or discordant lines. If the palm is filled with holes or prominent veins, she is described as destined to live by begging.

Word by Word

• विधवा: a widow
• विधवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहु-रेखेण: by many lines
• बहु-रेखेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; करण-भाव (by means of)

• वि-रेखेण: by a distinct/separate line
• वि-रेखेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण

• दरिद्रिणी: a poor woman
• दरिद्रिणी: Karta (Subject complement/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दरिद्रिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधवाया विशेषणरूपेण (predicate noun/adjective)

• भिक्षुकी: a beggar-woman
• भिक्षुकी: Karta (Subject complement/विशेष्य-विशेषणभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिक्षुकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधवाया विशेषणरूपेण

• सु-शिर-आढ्येन: by being rich in good holes/pores
• सु-शिर-आढ्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शिर (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर-तलेन: by the palm (of the hand)
• कर-तलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha-bodhaka (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta-kṣetra (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Generic

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teaching contrasts palms: too many lines (widowhood), broken lines (poverty), and ‘perforated/vein-prominent’ palms (begging). The mood is somber, urging compassion.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It conveys a karmic reading of life circumstances and encourages reliance on dharma and right conduct rather than mere appearances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the larger narrative setting; no particular tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.