Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

भर्तुर्नाम न गृह्णाति ह्यायुषोऽस्य हि वृद्धये । पुरुषांतरनामापि न गृह्णति कदाचन

Transliteration

bharturnāma na gṛhṇāti hyāyuṣo'sya hi vṛddhaye | puruṣāṃtaranāmāpi na gṛhṇati kadācana

Translation

ಅವಳು ಭರ್ತನ ಹೆಸರನ್ನು ಉಚ್ಚರಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ—ಇದು ಅವನ ಆಯುಷ್ಯವೃದ್ಧಿಗೆ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಬೇರೆ ಪುರುಷನ ಹೆಸರನ್ನೂ ಅವಳು ಎಂದಿಗೂ ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

• भर्तुः: of (her) husband
• भर्तुः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम: name
• नाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• गृह्णाति: utters/takes (mentions)
• गृह्णाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतुवाचक-निपात (indeed/for)

• आयुषः: of the lifespan
• आयुषः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतुवाचक-निपात (indeed/for)

• वृद्धये: for the increase
• वृद्धये: Sampradana (Purpose/recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुरुषान्तरनाम: the name of another man
• पुरुषान्तरनाम: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + अन्तर + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: पुरुषस्य अन्तरः (other man) तस्य नाम

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)

• गृह्णाति: mentions/takes
• गृह्णाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• कदाचन: ever/at any time
• कदाचन: Kala-adhikarana (Time adverb/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदा + चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (indefinite time adverb: ever/at any time)

Speaker

Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A domestic scene where the wife addresses her husband with respectful epithets rather than his name; a subtle visual motif of a protective thread/halo around the husband symbolizing increased longevity through auspicious restraint.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Speech-discipline is treated as dharma: restraint and exclusivity in address symbolize fidelity and auspicious intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse is a behavioral marker within Dharmāraṇya’s dharma teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A niyama is stated: refraining from uttering the husband’s name (for his longevity) and never invoking another man’s name.