Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 44

Devanagari script

तां श्रुत्वा भर्तृरहितां शारदां गर्भिणी सतीम् । सर्वे धिगिति प्रोचुस्तां जारिणीति जगुर्जनाः

Transliteration

tāṃ śrutvā bhartṛrahitāṃ śāradāṃ garbhiṇī satīm | sarve dhigiti procustāṃ jāriṇīti jagurjanāḥ

Translation

En apprenant que Śāradā, bien que privée de son époux, était pourtant enceinte, tous s’écrièrent : « Honte ! »; et les gens la traitèrent d’adultère.

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Pronoun, Accusative singular

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) परस्मैपद-भाव; ‘having heard’

• भर्तृ-रहिताम्: devoid of a husband
• भर्तृ-रहिताम्: Karma-anvaya (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; तत्पुरुष (भर्तृणा रहिता)

• शारदाम्: Śāradā
• शारदाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शारदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• गर्भिणीम्: pregnant
• गर्भिणीम्: Karma-anvaya (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• सतीम्: virtuous
• सतीम्: Karma-anvaya (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘virtuous/true woman’

• सर्वे: all (people)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• धिक्: shame!
• धिक्: Sambandha (Exclamation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निन्दार्थक-निपात (interjection of censure)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक (quotative)

• प्रोचुः: they said
• प्रोचुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; 3rd pl perfect

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• जारिणी: an adulteress
• जारिणी: Karma-pravacaniya/Predicate (Predicate noun/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (used as predicate/apposition)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; quotative

• जगुः: they said/uttered
• जगुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; 3rd pl perfect

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A crowd in a village street points accusingly; Śāradā stands apart, visibly pregnant, eyes lowered; faces show contempt, shock, and moralistic anger; a few compassionate onlookers hesitate.

Characters & Entities

• Śāradā
• Janāḥ (people)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly opinion often misjudges hidden truth; dharma requires restraint in speech and fairness before condemning the virtuous.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse highlights a social-ethical turning point in the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it depicts social reaction and moral failure (nindā).