Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

कुविवाहः क्रियालोपः कुले पतनहेतवः । कुर्याद्वैवाहिके चाग्नौ गृह्यकर्म्मान्वहं गृही

Transliteration

kuvivāhaḥ kriyālopaḥ kule patanahetavaḥ | kuryādvaivāhike cāgnau gṛhyakarmmānvahaṃ gṛhī

Translation

കുവിവാഹവും നിർദ്ദേശിത കർമങ്ങളുടെ ലോപവും—ഇവ കുലപതനത്തിന് കാരണങ്ങളാണ്. അതിനാൽ ഗൃഹസ്ഥൻ വൈവാഹിക അഗ്നിയിൽ നിത്യം ഗൃഹ്യകർമ്മങ്ങൾ അനുഷ്ഠിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• कु: bad/ill
• कु: Sambandha (Prefix/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कु (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्ययम्; दूषणार्थक-उपसर्गसदृश (bad/ill-)

• विवाहः: improper marriage
• विवाहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'कु-विवाहः' = दुष्टः विवाहः

• क्रिया: rite/action
• क्रिया: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम्

• लोपः: omission (of rites)
• लोपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'क्रिया-लोपः' = क्रियायाः लोपः

• कुले: in the family
• कुले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• पतन: fall/ruin
• पतन: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे पूर्वपदम्

• हेतवः: causes
• हेतवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; 'पतन-हेतवः' = पतनस्य हेतवः

• कुर्यात्: should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• वैवाहिके: in the nuptial (fire)
• वैवाहिके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैवाहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अग्नौ इत्यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• अग्नौ: in the fire
• अग्नौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• गृह्य: domestic (gṛhya-)
• गृह्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गृह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपदम्; विशेषणम्

• कर्माणि: domestic rites
• कर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; 'गृह्य-कर्माणि' = गृह्याणि कर्माणि

• अन्: along/after
• अन्: Sambandha (Prefix/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (उपसर्ग)
• Form: उपसर्गः (prefix)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गृही: the householder
• गृही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa dharma-narration context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vivāhika-agni (gṛhya-agni)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciplined householder tending the sacred marriage-fire; offerings placed with mantra; family elders and spouse present; a shadowy motif of ‘fallen lineage’ contrasted with the bright agni.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Family stability and spiritual continuity depend on dharmic marriage and faithful performance of prescribed rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is glorified; the verse concerns the sanctity of the household fire and family dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintaining vaivāhika agni and performing gṛhya-karmas (domestic rites) consistently are prescribed.