Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

बाधया रहिता गावः कच्चित्संति महीतले । स्त्रियः संति हि सुश्रीकाः पतिव्रतपरायणाः

Transliteration

bādhayā rahitā gāvaḥ kaccitsaṃti mahītale | striyaḥ saṃti hi suśrīkāḥ pativrataparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Are the cows upon the earth free from affliction? And are there women of good fortune who remain devoted to the vow of fidelity (pativratā) and the dharma of the household?

Word by Word

• बाधया: by affliction/trouble
• बाधया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन

• रहिता: free from
• रहिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (वैदिक/काव्ये ‘रहिता’ बहुवचन-रूपेण); ‘गावः’ इति विशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘free from’ (with instr.)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• कच्चित्: surely? I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-नूनार्थक

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• महीतले: on the earth
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + तल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘मही-तल’ (surface of the earth)

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

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु (indeed/for)

• सुश्रीकाः: beautiful, auspicious
• सुश्रीकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + श्रीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः/उपसर्गयुक्तः ‘सु-श्रीक’ = very auspicious/beautiful

• पतिव्रतपरायणाः: devoted to their husbands
• पतिव्रतपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति + व्रत + परायण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘पतिव्रते परायणाः’ (devoted to the husband’s vow)

Speaker

Śiva (Śambhu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A peaceful vision of earth’s well-being: healthy cows grazing near a sacred settlement; dignified household women embodying pativratā-dharma; Śambhu’s inquiry frames these as auspicious omens.

Characters & Entities

• Cows
• Women (patīvratāḥ)
• Earth (Mahī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic world is measured by compassion (care for cows and beings) and steadiness in household virtues.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it supports the Kāśī narrative by describing markers of dharmic prosperity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it emphasizes social and ethical ideals aligned with dharma.