Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 27

Devanagari script

धृता न कार्या सा पत्नी यत्करोति न वर्द्धते । तया सह कृतं पुण्यं वर्द्धते दशधोत्तरम्

Transliteration

dhṛtā na kāryā sā patnī yatkaroti na varddhate | tayā saha kṛtaṃ puṇyaṃ varddhate daśadhottaram

Translation

Such a wife should not be taken, for whatever she does does not increase in merit. But merit performed together with her increases tenfold and more.

Word by Word

• dhṛtā: kept/maintained (as wife)
• dhṛtā: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhṛ (धातु) → dhṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) विशेषण

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• kāryā: to be done/kept (fit to be taken)
• kāryā: Pradhāna-kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kārya (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: ‘to be done/fit to be’)

• sā: she/that (woman)
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• patnī: wife
• patnī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• yat: whatever/that which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे/कर्मणि ‘that which’ (relative pronoun)

• karoti: does
• karoti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• varddhate: increases/grows
• varddhate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• tayā: with her/by her
• tayā: Sahakāraka/Instrument (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• saha: together with
• saha: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अर्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: ‘with’)

• kṛtam: done/performed
• kṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) → kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) विशेषण

• puṇyam: merit/virtue
• puṇyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• varddhate: increases
• varddhate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛdh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• daśadhā: tenfold
• daśadhā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daśadhā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner: ‘tenfold’)

• uttaram: more/additional
• uttaram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘more, additional’ (used adverbially with daśadhā)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A couple performs pūjā together at a river-ghāṭ shrine; a luminous aura expands around their offerings, symbolizing tenfold merit; priests and pilgrims witness the sanctity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text links spiritual efficacy (growth of puṇya) to the moral quality of companionship in dharmic life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is named; it speaks generally about puṇya gained through joint dharmic acts.