Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

प्रसह्यकन्याहरणाद्राक्षसो निंदितः सताम् । छलेन कन्याहरणात्पैशाचो गर्हितोऽष्टमः

Transliteration

prasahyakanyāharaṇādrākṣaso niṃditaḥ satām | chalena kanyāharaṇātpaiśāco garhito'ṣṭamaḥ

Translation

The Rākṣasa marriage, born of the forcible abduction of a maiden, is condemned by the virtuous. The Paiśāca—the eighth—arising from abducting a maiden by deceit, is likewise censured.

Word by Word

• प्रसह्य: forcibly
• प्रसह्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र- सह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive), ‘having forced/forcibly’ (adverbial)

• कन्याहरणात्: from abducting a maiden
• कन्याहरणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या + हरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘abduction of a maiden’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• राक्षसः: the Rākṣasa (marriage)
• राक्षसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विवाह-प्रकार-नाम

• निन्दितः: condemned
• निन्दितः: Kriyā (Predicative complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निन्द् (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• सताम्: of the good/virtuous
• सताम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• छलेन: by deceit/trickery
• छलेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कन्याहरणात्: from abducting a maiden
• कन्याहरणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या + हरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• पैशाचः: the Paiśāca (marriage)
• पैशाचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पैशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विवाह-प्रकार-नाम

• गर्हितः: reviled/censured
• गर्हितः: Kriyā (Predicative complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्ह् (धातु; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• अष्टमः: the eighth
• अष्टमः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier to पैशाचः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टम (क्रमसंख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमसंख्या-विशेषण (ordinal)

Speaker

Skanda (continuing from 38.1)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral warning scene: a maiden being seized by force (Rākṣasa) contrasted with a deceitful abduction (Paiśāca) in shadowed setting; virtuous elders condemn; dharma stands as protective presence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma rejects unions founded on violence or deception; righteousness safeguards dignity, consent, and social order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is ethical classification within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it explicitly condemns forced and deceitful forms of marriage.