Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

कन्यानां वरयोग्यानामदानं सदृशे वरे । पुत्रमित्रकलत्रेषु गमनं भगिनीषु च

Transliteration

kanyānāṃ varayogyānāmadānaṃ sadṛśe vare | putramitrakalatreṣu gamanaṃ bhaginīṣu ca

Translation

Ne pas donner en mariage une jeune fille en âge de l’être à un époux convenable—et commettre une faute charnelle avec l’épouse du fils, l’épouse d’un ami ou sa propre sœur—sont des péchés très graves.

Word by Word

• kanyānām: of maidens/daughters
• kanyānām: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• vara-yogyānām: fit for marriage (suitable for a groom)
• vara-yogyānām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वराय योग्याः)

• adānam: withholding (not giving)
• adānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (नञ्-पूर्वक, ल्युट्/घञ्-भाववाचक); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अर्थः—‘न दानम्’ = non-giving/withholding

• sadṛśe: in/with a suitable (matching)
• sadṛśe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• vare: groom
• vare: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• putra-mitra-kalatreṣu: among sons, friends, and wives
• putra-mitra-kalatreṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + mitra (प्रातिपदिक) + kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वः (पुत्रेषु, मित्रेषु, कलत्रेषु)

• gamanam: going/sexual approach
• gamanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्युट्-प्रत्यय, भाववाचक); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bhaginīṣu: among sisters
• bhaginīṣu: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaginī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-part moral narrative: (1) a marriageable maiden waiting with elders delaying her marriage; (2) a shadowed scene of illicit approach toward a protected woman, halted by a dharmic guardian; a shrine lamp symbolizes conscience.

Characters & Entities

• Kanyā
• Vara
• Bhaginī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Householder dharma upholds social and spiritual order through responsible marriage arrangements and strict avoidance of forbidden relationships.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is on gṛhastha-dharma and moral boundaries.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies the duty of kanyādāna to a suitable groom; it also forbids illicit sexual conduct.