Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

अर्थहीना यथा वाणी धर्महीना यथा तनुः । पतिहीना यथा नारी शिवहीना तथा क्रिया

Transliteration

arthahīnā yathā vāṇī dharmahīnā yathā tanuḥ | patihīnā yathā nārī śivahīnā tathā kriyā

Translation

Comme la parole est vaine sans sens, comme le corps est vain sans dharma, et comme la femme est délaissée sans son époux, ainsi tout rite est privé de sa force sans Śiva.

Word by Word

• अर्थहीना: devoid of meaning
• अर्थहीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषार्थे (अर्थेन हीना = devoid of meaning)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक (comparative)

• वाणी: speech
• वाणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• धर्महीना: devoid of dharma
• धर्महीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (धर्मेण हीना = devoid of dharma)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक

• तनुः: body
• तनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• पतिहीना: without a husband
• पतिहीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पतिना हीना = without a husband)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• शिवहीना: without Śiva
• शिवहीना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शिवेन हीना = without Śiva)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत्/एवम्

• क्रिया: ritual action
• क्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kriyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A triad of symbolic vignettes: (1) a speaker whose words lack meaning, (2) a body without dharma shown as lifeless/aimless, (3) a rite performed mechanically—then contrasted with a radiant Śiva-liṅga that gives ‘life’ to the rite. Kāśī shrines and ghāṭs frame the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Viśveśvara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual and action gain true value only when rooted in devotion to Śiva and dharmic intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred center where Śiva’s presence (Viśveśvara) validates all religious action.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An overarching rule: never perform kriyā as merely mechanical—ensure it is Śiva-centered.