Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

गणावूचतुः । शिवशर्मन्महाभाग तिष्ठते सात्र सुंदरी । अरुंधती महापुण्या पतिव्रतपरायणा

Transliteration

gaṇāvūcatuḥ | śivaśarmanmahābhāga tiṣṭhate sātra suṃdarī | aruṃdhatī mahāpuṇyā pativrataparāyaṇā

Translation

Les gaṇas dirent : «Ô Śivaśarman, toi le fortuné, ici demeure la belle dame Arundhatī, très méritante, entièrement vouée au vœu de fidélité envers son époux».

Word by Word

• गणाः: the gaṇas (attendants)
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ऊचतुः: said (the two)/they said (dual form)
• ऊचतुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• शिवशर्मन्: O Śivaśarman
• शिवशर्मन्: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिवशर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महाभाग: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् भागः यस्य)

• तिष्ठते: stands, remains
• तिष्ठते: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Desha-adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb: here)

• सुन्दरी: the beautiful lady
• सुन्दरी: Karta-anvaya (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम

• अरुन्धती: Arundhatī
• अरुन्धती: Karta-anvaya (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुन्धती (प्रातिपदिक; नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• महापुण्या: very virtuous
• महापुण्या: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महती पुण्या)

• पतिव्रतपरायणा: devoted to her husband’s vow (chastity)
• पतिव्रतपरायणा: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतिव्रत-परायण (प्रातिपदिक) = पतिव्रत + परायण (समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पतिव्रते परायणा)

Speaker

Gaṇas (explicit)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śivaśarman

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaṇas (Śiva’s attendants) address a learned brāhmaṇa Śivaśarman; in the background, Arundhatī appears as a serene, radiant ascetic-wife figure, modestly adorned, embodying purity; the setting suggests a Kāśī lane or grove near a shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṇas
• Śivaśarman
• Arundhatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pātivratya (steadfast marital dharma) is celebrated as a great source of puṇya and spiritual beauty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is narrative-focused; it situates Arundhatī’s presence within the Kāśī setting of this adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces Arundhatī as exemplary in pativrata-dharma.