Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

सपत्नीवाक्यभल्लीभिर्भिन्ने महति मे हृदि । तव बाष्पौघवारीणि न तिष्ठंति करोमि किम्

Transliteration

sapatnīvākyabhallībhirbhinne mahati me hṛdi | tava bāṣpaughavārīṇi na tiṣṭhaṃti karomi kim

Translation

സപത്നിയുടെ വാക്കുകളുടെ കുന്തങ്ങളാൽ എന്റെ ഹൃദയം ആഴത്തിൽ മുറിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു; നിന്റെ കണ്ണീർപ്രവാഹം നിൽക്കുന്നില്ല. ഞാൻ എന്തു ചെയ്യും?

Word by Word

• सपत्नीवाक्यभल्लीभिः: by the arrow-like words of the co-wife
• सपत्नीवाक्यभल्लीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपत्नी + वाक्य + भल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (सपत्नी- वाक्यानि एव भल्ल्यः इव)

• भिन्ने: pierced, split
• भिन्ने: Visheshana of हृदि (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भिद् (धातु) → भिन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (हृदि) भिन्ने

• महति: great
• महति: Visheshana of हृदि (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; एन्क्लिटिक रूप

• हृदि: in (my) heart
• हृदि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• बाष्पौघवारीणि: flood-waters of tears
• बाष्पौघवारीणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाष्प + ओघ + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (बाष्पस्य ओघः, तस्य वारि)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• तिष्ठन्ति: remain, stay (do not stop)
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• करोमि: I do
• करोमि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sunīti (addressing Dhruva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A questioning sage/audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mother confesses her heart is pierced by co-wife’s cruel words; the child’s tears flow unceasingly—an intense, intimate scene of sorrow and moral crisis.

Characters & Entities

• Sunīti
• Dhruva
• Sapatnī (co-wife; Suruci implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cruel speech wounds like weapons; compassion recognizes suffering yet seeks a dharmic way forward.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; this verse focuses on emotional and moral struggle within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a lament highlighting the pain caused by harsh speech and ongoing grief.