Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

तददत्ता कथं स्वैरमहमन्यं वरं वृणे । वृतोपि न कुलीनश्चेद्गुणवान्न च शीलवान्

Transliteration

tadadattā kathaṃ svairamahamanyaṃ varaṃ vṛṇe | vṛtopi na kulīnaścedguṇavānna ca śīlavān

Translation

«Puisque je n’ai pas été donnée (en mariage), comment pourrais-je, de mon propre gré, choisir librement un autre époux ? Et même choisi, à quoi servirait-il s’il n’est pas de noble lignée, sans vertu et sans bonne conduite ?»

Word by Word

• tad-adattā: not given (by them)
• tad-adattā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक) + a-datta (√dā दा धातु + क्त, नञ्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nom., Singular); तत्पुरुषः (tad = by them/that; adattā = not given)

• katham: how
• katham: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• svairam: freely/of my own will
• svairam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Acc., Singular); क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: of one’s own will)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun, Nom., Singular)

• anyam: another
• anyam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Acc., Singular)

• varam: groom/suitor
• varam: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Acc., Singular)

• vṛṇe: I choose
• vṛṇe: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (वृ धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद (Present, 1st sg., Ātmanepada)

• vṛtaḥ: (even if) chosen
• vṛtaḥ: Visheshya (Apposition/विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛ (वृ धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle: chosen); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Singular)

• api: even if
• api: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

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

• kulīnaḥ: of noble family
• kulīnaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kulīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Singular)

• cet: if
• cet: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cet (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• guṇavān: virtuous/possessing qualities
• guṇavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Singular)

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

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• śīlavān: of good conduct
• śīlavān: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīlavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nom., Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The woman weighs choices with a thoughtful, restrained expression; in the background, silhouettes of potential suitors appear as faint figures, while she focuses on a symbolic scale balancing ‘kula’, ‘guṇa’, and ‘śīla’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is presented as ordered and value-based: lineage, virtues, and conduct matter, and impulsive choice is cautioned against.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is named; the verse is part of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s moral-narrative teaching within Kāśī’s sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it discusses marital propriety and ethical qualifications.