Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पतिव्रतधृता नार्यो बलेन बलिना धृताः । भर्तबुद्ध्यारमंतेतं कदाचित्ता इमा द्विज

Transliteration

pativratadhṛtā nāryo balena balinā dhṛtāḥ | bhartabuddhyāramaṃtetaṃ kadācittā imā dvija

Translation

These women—steadfast in pativratā, the vow of wifely fidelity—are held fast by a mighty force; and, O twice-born (dvija), at times they delight in him, regarding him as their husband.

Word by Word

• पतिव्रतधृताः: upheld by wifely fidelity
• पतिव्रतधृताः: Karta (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + धृत (कृदन्त, धृ धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पतिव्रतेन धृताः = upheld/maintained by fidelity to husband); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नार्यः: women
• नार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• बलेन: by force
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• बलिना: by a strong (man)
• बलिना: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (by the strong one)

• धृताः: held/kept
• धृताः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्मणि-प्रयोगे)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (held/kept)

• भर्तृ: husband
• भर्तृ: Samasa-purvapada (Compound member/समासपूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक used in compound

• बुद्ध्या: with the idea
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; (with the notion/understanding)

• भर्तबुद्ध्या: with (him) as husband in mind
• भर्तबुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भर्तुः बुद्ध्या = with the notion of (him as) husband); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• आरमन्ते: they delight
• आरमन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: रम् (to delight) with उपसर्ग आ

• इतम्: this (man/one)
• इतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this one/this)

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (sometimes)

• ताः: they
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• इमाः: these
• इमाः: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• द्विज: O Brahmin
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pativratā woman shown with symbols of fidelity (mangala-sūtra/sindūra in later iconography; here as modest attire and vow-gesture), while an unseen powerful force binds her; her gaze shows conflicted devotion as she momentarily regards another as ‘bhartā’.

Characters & Entities

• Pativrata
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic dharma portrays fidelity (pativrata) as a potent force, yet also acknowledges overpowering influences that can sway perception and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative environment, though the verse itself is ethical/narrative rather than topographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it describes a state of mind and compulsion linked to dharma and force (bala).