Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

व्यभिचारादृतौ शुद्धिर्गर्भे त्यागो विधीयते । गर्भभर्तृवधादौ तु महत्यपि च कल्मषे

Transliteration

vyabhicārādṛtau śuddhirgarbhe tyāgo vidhīyate | garbhabhartṛvadhādau tu mahatyapi ca kalmaṣe

Translation

After adultery, purification is possible when the proper period arrives; but if there is pregnancy, abandonment is enjoined. Yet in cases such as the killing of the embryo or the husband, even though the sin is great…

Word by Word

• व्यभिचारात्: from adultery/infidelity
• व्यभिचारात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यभिचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• ऋतौ: in the (proper) season/period
• ऋतौ: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (location/occasion)

• शुद्धिः: purification
• शुद्धिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृपद-रूपेण (as subject)

• गर्भे: in pregnancy
• गर्भे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• त्यागः: abandonment
• त्यागः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृपद-रूपेण

• विधीयते: is prescribed/ordained
• विधीयते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धा (धातु) + वि- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• गर्भभर्तृवधादौ: in (cases) such as killing the husband of a pregnant woman, etc.
• गर्भभर्तृवधादौ: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ-भर्तृ-वध-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘गर्भस्य भर्तुः वधः’ इत्यादिषु (in cases like killing the husband of a pregnant woman etc.); अधिकरणे

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• महति: in great (sin)
• महति: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (concessive/also)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कल्मषे: in sin/impurity
• कल्मषे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्मष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sober dharma-sabhā setting in Kāśī: a teacher expounds prāyaścitta; a penitent couple stands aside; symbolic imagery of a womb/embryo protected by a halo of dharma, contrasted with darkened sin-clouds.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It differentiates between levels of transgression and their consequences, highlighting that some acts intensify culpability beyond ordinary purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It mentions purification after adultery in due course, but prescribes abandonment if pregnancy results; it also signals special gravity for acts like embryo- or husband-killing.