Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

न तत्क्रतुसहस्रेण यजंतः प्राप्नुयुः फलम् । पतिव्रतात्वमापन्ना यत्स्त्री विंदति केवलम्

Transliteration

na tatkratusahasreṇa yajaṃtaḥ prāpnuyuḥ phalam | pativratātvamāpannā yatstrī viṃdati kevalam

Translation

Le fruit qu’une femme obtient uniquement en entrant dans le dharma de pativratā, la fidélité sacrée à l’époux, les hommes ne l’atteignent pas même par mille sacrifices.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध-निपात; negation

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण ‘that (result)’ (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• क्रतुसहस्रेण: by a thousand sacrifices
• क्रतुसहस्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘क्रतूनां सहस्रम्’; करण ‘by a thousand sacrifices’

• यजन्तः: (those) performing sacrifice
• यजन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘sacrificing/performing worship’

• प्राप्नुयुः: would obtain
• प्राप्नुयुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आशीः), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they would obtain’

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• पतिव्रतात्वम्: the state of being a devoted wife
• पतिव्रतात्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतिव्रता + त्व (प्रातिपदिक + तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (त्व) ‘state of being a devoted wife’

• आपन्ना: having attained
• आपन्ना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+पद् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ‘having attained/entered’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘which (thing)’

• स्त्री: a woman
• स्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• विन्दति: obtains
• विन्दति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘finds/obtains’

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः ‘only/solely’

Speaker

Unspecified (context: dialogue within Tīrthamāhātmya narrative)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The addressed woman (pativratā figure) and the assembly (devas/participants)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous pativratā woman stands calm and radiant; behind her, symbolic imagery contrasts a grand thousand-yajña panorama fading into the background, while her single vow shines brighter, suggesting superior fruit.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-minded dharma, especially pativratā-vrata, is praised as a direct and extraordinary source of puṇya surpassing many external rituals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya (general sacred-place glorification); this line itself emphasizes vrata-mahattva rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña (sacrificial rites) is referenced for comparison, while the implied prescription is steadfast observance of pativratā-dharma (a vow-based discipline).