Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

पूर्वं स्त्रियः सुरैर्भुक्ताः सोमगंधर्व वह्निभिः । भुंजते मानुषाः पश्चान्नैतादुष्यं ति केनचित्

Transliteration

pūrvaṃ striyaḥ surairbhuktāḥ somagaṃdharva vahnibhiḥ | bhuṃjate mānuṣāḥ paścānnaitāduṣyaṃ ti kenacit

Translation

Women were first mystically ‘claimed’ by the Devas—Soma, the Gandharvas, and Agni; only afterward do humans partake of them in marriage. Therefore, in this matter, no impurity is incurred by anyone.

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: formerly, earlier
• पूर्वम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘पूर्वे/पूर्वकालम्’

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्तृपद (subject)

• सुरैः: by the gods
• सुरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण/सहकारक-प्रयोग (‘सुरैः’ = by the gods)

• भुक्ताः: were enjoyed/consumed
• भुक्ताः: Karma (Object/कर्म) (in passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘स्त्रियः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण (agreeing with subject)

• सोमगंधर्ववह्निभिः: by Soma, the Gandharvas, and Fire
• सोमगंधर्ववह्निभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वह्नि/अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (इतरेतर), तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण (by Soma, Gandharvas, and Fire)

• भुञ्जते: enjoy/consume
• भुञ्जते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मानुषाः: humans/men
• मानुषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb): ‘अनन्तरम्’

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (particle of negation)

• एतत्: this (act/thing)
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• दुष्यन्ति: become tainted/impure
• दुष्यन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दुष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• केनचित्: by anyone (at all)
• केनचित्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; ‘कस्यचित्’ = by anyone; करण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene in Kāśī: a sage expounds that Soma, Gandharvas, and Agni mystically precede human marriage, dissolving notions of impurity; subtle divine presences hover above a domestic wedding setting.

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Gandharvas
• Agni (Vahni)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It frames marriage-related purity as upheld by divine order, discouraging needless notions of defilement.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Kāśīkhaṇḍa, reinforcing Kāśī’s dharma-framework rather than naming a single tirtha in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; it provides a doctrinal rationale concerning purity in marital context.