Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अपेक्षंते न मुग्धाक्ष्यः कुलं शीलं श्रुतं धनम् । रूपमेव समीक्षंते विषमेषु विमोहिताः

Transliteration

apekṣaṃte na mugdhākṣyaḥ kulaṃ śīlaṃ śrutaṃ dhanam | rūpameva samīkṣaṃte viṣameṣu vimohitāḥ

Translation

Les jeunes filles éprises ne pèsent ni la lignée, ni la vertu, ni le savoir, ni la richesse ; égarées dans des passions embrouillées, elles ne considèrent que la beauté apparente.

Word by Word

• अपेक्षन्ते: they look for; they expect
• अपेक्षन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपेक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• न: not
• न: Kriya-visheshana (Negation/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• मुग्धाक्ष्यः: the naive/infatuated-eyed women
• मुग्धाक्ष्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुग्ध + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कुलम्: family/lineage
• कुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd case/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शीलम्: character/conduct
• शीलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुतम्: learning; what is heard (scriptural learning)
• श्रुतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धनम्: wealth
• धनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रूपम्: beauty/form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Avadharana)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• समीक्षन्ते: they consider; they look at
• समीक्षन्ते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• विषमेषु: in difficult/uneven situations
• विषमेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (or पुंलिङ्ग usage), सप्तमी (7th case/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विमोहिताः: deluded
• विमोहिताः: Karta-visheshana (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुह् (धातु) → विमोहित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator (context within Kāśīkhaṇḍa; likely Skanda relating the episode to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A courtly or domestic scene where infatuated women gaze only at a handsome form, while symbols of lineage, learning, and wealth lie ignored; the moral is conveyed through contrasting objects and expressions.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire-clouded perception mistakes appearance for worth; dharma urges discernment grounded in character and wisdom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa narrative setting (Vārāṇasī/Kāśī), though this line itself is a general ethical observation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it offers a dharmic caution about delusion and misjudgment.