Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

सुशीला शीलसंपन्ना रहस्तद्विरहातुरैः । प्रार्थितापि सुरूपाढ्यैर्नाभिलाषं बबंध सा

Transliteration

suśīlā śīlasaṃpannā rahastadvirahāturaiḥ | prārthitāpi surūpāḍhyairnābhilāṣaṃ babaṃdha sā

Translation

സുശീല ശീലസമ്പന്നയും സുസംസ്കൃതയുമായിരുന്നു. രഹസ്യമായി വിരഹവേദനയിൽ കത്തിയ സുന്ദരയുവാക്കൾ അപേക്ഷിച്ചിട്ടും അവൾ ആരോടും ആസക്തി ബന്ധിച്ചില്ല.

Word by Word

• सुशीला: virtuous, well-conducted (woman)
• सुशीला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-शील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

• शीलसंपन्ना: endowed with good character
• शीलसंपन्ना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शील-सम्पन्न (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; सम्पद् धातु से ‘सम्पन्न’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle) ‘सम्पन्न’ = endowed; विशेषण

• रहः: secretly, in private
• रहः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रहस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) = secretly/in private

• तद्विरहातुरैः: by those distressed by separation from her
• तद्विरहातुरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + विरह (प्रातिपदिक) + आतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; ‘तद्-विरह’ षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + ‘आतुर’ = तद्विरहातुर; विशेषण (instr. pl.)

• प्रार्थिता: (she was) requested/sought
• प्रार्थिता: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√अर्थ् (धातु) → प्रार्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) = ‘having been requested/sought’

• अपि: even, though
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) = even/also

• सुरूपाढ्यैः: by handsome and wealthy (men)
• सुरूपाढ्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय = ‘सु-रूप’ (handsome) qualifying ‘आढ्य’ (rich/possessed); विशेषण (instr. pl.)

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

• अभिलाषम्: desire, longing
• अभिलाषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिलाष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• बबन्ध: she formed/entertained (lit. bound)
• बबन्ध: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda addressing Agastya)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (traditional frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Suśīlā stands composed and inwardly detached while well-adorned suitors plead in private; her calm gaze and modest posture signal unshaken virtue.

Characters & Entities

• Suśīlā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfast virtue (śīla) is shown through self-restraint—desire is not to be granted merely because one is praised or pursued.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa framework (Kāśī/Varanasi), though no distinct tirtha-name is stated in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the emphasis is ethical—character and restraint.