Shloka 18

पुंसां क्रिया-विभागः, संस्काराः, नामकरणम्, विवाहविधानम्

Devanagari script

न दुष्टां दुष्टवाचालां व्यङ्गिनीं पितृमातृतः न श्मश्रुव्यञ्जनवतीं न चैव पुरुषाकृतिम्

Transliteration

na duṣṭāṃ duṣṭavācālāṃ vyaṅginīṃ pitṛmātṛtaḥ na śmaśruvyañjanavatīṃ na caiva puruṣākṛtim

Translation

ບໍ່ຄວນຮັບເອົາຍິງທີ່ມີຄວາມປະພຶດຊົ່ວ, ປາກຮ້າຍ, ມີປົມດ້ອຍຈາກພໍ່ແມ່, ມີລັກສະນະຄືຜູ້ຊາຍ ເຊັ່ນ ມີໜວດ ຫຼື ມີຮູບຮ່າງຄືຜູ້ຊາຍ.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• दुष्टाम्: wicked, bad
• दुष्टाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• दुष्टवाचालाम्: foul-mouthed
• दुष्टवाचालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट + वाचाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; 'wicked-tongued/abusive-speaking'

• व्यङ्गिनीम्: deformed
• व्यङ्गिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पितृमातृतः: from (her) father and mother (by lineage)
• पितृमातृतः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पितृ + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), द्वन्द्व-समासपूर्वक; अर्थे: 'from father and mother' (ablatival adverb)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• श्मश्रुव्यञ्जनवतीम्: having beard/moustache (masculine facial hair)
• श्मश्रुव्यञ्जनवतीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्मश्रु + व्यञ्जनवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; 'having beard/moustache marks'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• पुरुषाकृतिम्: man-shaped, masculine-looking
• पुरुषाकृतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुरुष + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; 'having the form of a man'

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in instruction to Maitreya, within a dharma-oriented narrative section)

FAQs

What is the significance of spouse-selection rules in the Vishnu Purana?

They present gṛhastha-dharma as a stabilizing force for family lineage and social order, framing household life as part of maintaining dharma in the world.

How does Sage Parāśara explain ethical suitability in this verse?

He prioritizes character and speech (conduct and truthful, non-malicious expression) and also lists physical/lineage markers that the tradition treated as considerations in marital choice.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not directly named, the Purana’s dharma instructions are presented as supporting the cosmic order upheld by the Supreme Lord—household ethics functioning as a practical expression of that order.