Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तदेनां पीडितां चेद्यः पतिर्भूत्वा न पालये । ततो यास्ये शास्त्रवादान्नरकांतं न संशयः

Transliteration

tadenāṃ pīḍitāṃ cedyaḥ patirbhūtvā na pālaye | tato yāsye śāstravādānnarakāṃtaṃ na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

If, having become her husband, someone does not protect her when she is afflicted, then—according to the teaching of the śāstras—he will go to the very confines of hell; of this there is no doubt.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (situation/thing)
• तत्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Pronoun; Neut., Acc., Sg.)

• एनाम्: her
• एनाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद्/इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Pronoun; Fem., Acc., Sg.)

• पीडिताम्: afflicted; oppressed
• पीडिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीड् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Past passive participle; Fem., Acc., Sg.)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: 'if')

• यः: who (ever)
• यः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Relative pronoun; Masc., Nom., Sg.)

• पतिः: husband
• पतिः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Sg.)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• पालये: should protect
• पालये: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Optative, 3rd sg., Parasmaipada)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb: 'therefrom/then')

• यास्ये: I shall go
• यास्ये: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Simple future, 1st sg., Ātmanepada)

• शास्त्रवादात्: from the scriptural doctrine; as per scripture
• शास्त्रवादात्: Hetu/Apādāna (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्रवाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (Masculine, Abl., Sg.); समासः—शास्त्रस्य वादः (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• नरकान्तम्: to the end of hell; to hell’s limit
• नरकान्तम्: Karma (Goal/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Acc., Sg.); समासः—नरकस्य अन्तः/अन्तम् (tatpuruṣa)

• न: no; not
• न: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Sg.)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A moral tableau: an afflicted woman seeking refuge; the husband either shielding her (ideal) or turning away (warning), with a shadowy naraka boundary implied in the background as consequence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Neglect of protection and care within marriage is adharma and is portrayed as leading to severe karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse is a dharma-śikṣā (ethical instruction).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a normative rule of conduct backed by śāstric authority.