Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

अवजानन्ति मूढा ये तेषां वासस्तु संततम् । पतिव्रतां साधुशीलामूढां धर्मेषु निश्चलाम्

Transliteration

avajānanti mūḍhā ye teṣāṃ vāsastu saṃtatam | pativratāṃ sādhuśīlāmūḍhāṃ dharmeṣu niścalām

Translation

അവളെ അവജ്ഞിക്കുന്ന മൂഢർക്കു നിരന്തരം (ദുഃഖത്തിൽ) വാസം ലഭിക്കുന്നു. അവർ പതിവ്രതയും സാദുശീലയും ധർമ്മത്തിൽ അചഞ്ചലയുമായ സ്ത്രീയെ പോലും നിന്ദിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अवजानन्ति: they disrespect, despise
• अवजानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मूढाः: fools
• मूढाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (ये इति विशेष्यस्य)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• वासः: dwelling, abode
• वासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Contrast/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• संततम्: continually, always
• संततम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: continually)

• पतिव्रताम्: a devoted wife (faithful to her husband)
• पतिव्रताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति + व्रता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—पत्यौ व्रतम् यस्याः सा इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ)

• साधुशीलाम्: of good conduct
• साधुशीलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु + शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—साधु शीलम् यस्याः सा इति कर्मधारय

• मूढाम्: deluded/ignorant
• मूढाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (पतिव्रताम् इत्यादि विशेष्यस्य)

• धर्मेषु: in duties/virtues
• धर्मेषु: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• निश्चलाम्: steadfast, unmoving
• निश्चलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निश्चल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene, steadfast pativratā woman—simple, saintly, unwavering in dharma—stands luminous; nearby, deluded men mock or despise her and are shown bound to a shadowy, continuous abode of suffering.

Characters & Entities

• Pativratā (devoted wife)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Contempt for virtuous, dharma-steady persons—especially within the household order—brings prolonged suffering; reverence sustains spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider context remains Revā-māhātmya, linking tīrtha-benefit with right conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite; the prescription is ethical—do not despise the virtuous, steadfast in dharma.