Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

विधवेत्युच्यते लोके तत्स्त्रीणां मरणं स्मृतम् । तत्प्रसादं कुरु मुने पत्यावस्माक मादरात्

Transliteration

vidhavetyucyate loke tatstrīṇāṃ maraṇaṃ smṛtam | tatprasādaṃ kuru mune patyāvasmāka mādarāt

Translation

«Dans le monde, on l’appelle veuve ; et cela est tenu pour une sorte de “mort” pour les femmes. Aussi, ô sage, accorde ta grâce, par égard pour notre époux.»

Word by Word

• vidhavā: widow
• vidhavā: Pradhana-predicative (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhavā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Nipata (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-निपात (quotative particle)

• ucyate: is called
• ucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; विशेषण (referring to following noun)

• strīṇām: of women
• strīṇām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• maraṇam: death
• maraṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• smṛtam: is remembered/considered
• smṛtam: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• tat-prasādam: that favor/grace
• tat-prasādam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + prasāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• kuru: do/grant
• kuru: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• patyā: by/with (our) husband
• patyā: Karana/Hetu (Means/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• asmākam: of us/our
• asmākam: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तम-पुरुष सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• ādarāt: out of respect
• ādarāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (cause)

Speaker

Rāmāḥ (the women)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setutīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: sages (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poignant tableau: women describe widowhood as death-like; their faces show fear and grief; the sage is moved toward granting prasāda; coastal twilight heightens pathos.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Durdama (implied husband)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse frames mercy as dharma, urging that punishment be tempered by compassion for dependents and family bonds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in the verse; it belongs to the Setu-kṣetra-themed Setukhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a request for prasāda (grace) and mitigation.