Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

कुलेन वयसा चापि शीलेनापि श्रुतेन च । रूपेणार्थेनसंयुक्तः कस्मै दत्ता सुखं लभेत्

Transliteration

kulena vayasā cāpi śīlenāpi śrutena ca | rūpeṇārthenasaṃyuktaḥ kasmai dattā sukhaṃ labhet

Translation

「家柄と相応の年齢、徳と学識を備え、さらに美貌と財も具するこの娘は、誰に嫁げば安らぎの幸を得るのだろうか。」

Word by Word

• कुलेन: by lineage/family
• कुलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by/with lineage)

• वयसा: by age
• वयसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by age)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also/even)

• शीलेन: by good conduct
• शीलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by conduct/character)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also)

• श्रुतेन: by learning
• श्रुतेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by learning/knowledge)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• रूपेण: by beauty
• रूपेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by beauty/form)

• अर्थेन: by wealth
• अर्थेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन — Instrumental singular (by wealth/means)

• संयुक्तः: endowed (with)
• संयुक्तः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+युज् (धातु) → संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle: endowed/connected

• कस्मै: to whom
• कस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन — Dative singular (to whom)

• दत्ता: given (in marriage)
• दत्ता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle used predicatively: (a girl) given

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Accusative singular (happiness)

• लभेत्: may obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — may obtain

Speaker

Skanda (narrating the father’s deliberation; deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried brāhmaṇa-father sits in a modest Kāśī courtyard, counting qualities of prospective grooms—lineage, age, conduct, learning, beauty, wealth—while the unseen presence of the sacred city looms (temple spires, Gaṅgā light).

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma evaluates suitability through virtues and learning alongside worldly factors; true happiness depends on right alignment, not one merit alone.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised in this verse; it functions as dharma-instruction within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it lists criteria and concerns related to vivāha (marriage) rather than a rite.