Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

आनुकूल्यं कलत्रं चेत्त्रिदिवेनापि किं ततः । प्रातिकूल्यं कलत्रं चेन्नरकेणापि किं ततः

Transliteration

ānukūlyaṃ kalatraṃ cettridivenāpi kiṃ tataḥ | prātikūlyaṃ kalatraṃ cennarakeṇāpi kiṃ tataḥ

Translation

Si l’épouse est bienveillante et en harmonie, à quoi bon même le ciel ? Mais si l’épouse est hostile, quelle différence y a-t-il, fût-on au ciel : qu’en reste-t-il alors ?

Word by Word

• ānukūlyam: favorable
• ānukūlyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ānukūlya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विधेयविशेषण (favorable)

• kalatram: wife/spouse
• kalatram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्त/सम्भावनाबोधक अव्यय (if)

• tri-divena: even with heaven (the three worlds)
• tri-divena: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + diva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (the three heavens; i.e., svarga)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (even/also)

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• tataḥ: then (what of it?)
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Idiomatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: तस्मात्/ततः इत्यर्थे अव्यय (then/therefrom; idiom: ‘what then?’)

• prātikūlyam: unfavorable
• prātikūlyam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prātikūlya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (unfavorable)

• kalatram: wife/spouse
• kalatram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तबोधक अव्यय (if)

• narakeṇa: even with hell
• narakeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कार (even/also)

• kim: what?
• kim: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• tataḥ: then (what of it?)
• tataḥ: Sambandha (Idiomatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘what then?’ इत्यर्थे

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśī Khaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two contrasting panels: one shows a harmonious couple with warm light and calm faces (heaven-like); the other shows a quarrelsome couple under dark clouds (hell-like), illustrating the verse’s paradox.

Characters & Entities

• Kalatram (spouse)
• Tridiva (Svarga)
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The lived reality of harmony or conflict at home can outweigh even heavenly promises; dharma is tested in daily relationships.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tirtha is mentioned; the verse is part of the Kāśī Khaṇḍa’s dharma instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it offers a moral evaluation of household life using svarga/naraka imagery.