Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

स्कंद उवाच । सदा गृही सुखं भुंक्ते स्त्री लक्षणवती यदि । अतः सुखसमृद्ध्यर्थमादौ लक्षणमीक्षयेत्

Transliteration

skaṃda uvāca | sadā gṛhī sukhaṃ bhuṃkte strī lakṣaṇavatī yadi | ataḥ sukhasamṛddhyarthamādau lakṣaṇamīkṣayet

Translation

സ്കന്ദൻ പറഞ്ഞു—സ്ത്രീ ലക്ഷണവതിയായാൽ ഗൃഹസ്ഥൻ എപ്പോഴും സുഖം അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു; അതിനാൽ സുഖസമൃദ്ധിക്കായി ആദ്യം തന്നെ ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ പരിശോധിക്കണം।

Word by Word

• स्कंदः: Skanda
• स्कंदः: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Speech act/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

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

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भुङ्क्ते: enjoys
• भुङ्क्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• स्त्री: a woman/wife
• स्त्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• लक्षणवती: possessing good marks
• लक्षणवती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्षणवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of स्त्री)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्त (conditional particle)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ (therefore)

• सुखसमृद्ध्यर्थम्: for the sake of prosperity and happiness
• सुखसमृद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख + समृद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुखसमृद्ध्याः अर्थम्)

• आदौ: at the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial locative)

• लक्षणम्: the characteristics
• लक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ईक्षयेत्: should examine
• ईक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta-kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Ghaṭodbhava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Skanda formally speaks (‘Skanda uvāca’) to Agastya; the scene emphasizes authority and benevolence—Skanda’s calm face, Agastya’s attentive posture, with Kāśī’s sacred architecture as a distant silhouette.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household prosperity is tied to virtue and discernment; dharma begins with wise choices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting is Kāśī in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, though the verse focuses on gṛhastha guidance rather than a particular pilgrimage spot.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Examine lakṣaṇas (auspicious qualities) before marriage to support a stable dharmic household.