Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

रजस्वलां च यः कन्यामुद्वाहयति निर्घृणः । तस्याः सन्तानमासाद्य पातयेत्पुरुषान्दश

Transliteration

rajasvalāṃ ca yaḥ kanyāmudvāhayati nirghṛṇaḥ | tasyāḥ santānamāsādya pātayetpuruṣāndaśa

Translation

Quiconque, sans compassion, épouse une jeune fille en période de menstruation—ayant obtenu d’elle une descendance, fait choir dans la ruine dix hommes de sa lignée.

Word by Word

• रजस्वलाम्: menstruating
• रजस्वलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रजस्वला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• कन्याम्: a maiden/girl
• कन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• उद्वाहयति: marries
• उद्वाहयति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद, णिजन्त (causative: causes to be led—marries)

• निर्घृणः: merciless
• निर्घृणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्घृण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (singular)

• सन्तानम्: offspring/progeny
• सन्तानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्तान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• आसाद्य: having obtained
• आसाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having obtained/reached

• पातयेत्: would cause to fall / would cast down
• पातयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद, णिजन्त (causative: causes to fall)

• पुरुषान्: men/persons
• पुरुषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (plural)

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दश (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral, used indeclinably here)

Speaker

Brāhmaṇī (speech continues)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern admonition scene: an elder or authoritative voice warns against marrying a menstruating maiden; imagery suggests dharma as a protective boundary around family and society.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It warns that violating dharmic boundaries in marriage brings harmful karmic consequences extending to one’s lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in the verse; it is a dharma admonition embedded in the māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition/avoidance principle regarding timing/condition for marriage; no positive ritual is detailed.