Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 150

Devanagari script

अतः सुलक्षणा योषा परिणेया विचक्षणैः । लक्षणानि परीक्ष्यादौ हित्वा दुर्लक्षणान्यपि

Transliteration

ataḥ sulakṣaṇā yoṣā pariṇeyā vicakṣaṇaiḥ | lakṣaṇāni parīkṣyādau hitvā durlakṣaṇānyapi

Translation

അതിനാൽ വിവേകമുള്ളവർ ആദ്യം ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ പരിശോധിച്ച്, ദുർലക്ഷണങ്ങളുള്ളവരെ ഒഴിവാക്കി, നല്ല ലക്ഷണങ്ങളുള്ള സ്ത്രീയെ മാത്രമേ വിവാഹം കഴിക്കാവൂ.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore/for this reason
• अतः: Sambandha (cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे अव्यय (causal/consecutive adverb)

• सुलक्षणा: well-marked/with good signs
• सुलक्षणा: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• योषा: a woman
• योषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परिणेया: should be married (to be taken in marriage)
• परिणेया: Predicate-adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि + नी (धातु) → परिणेय (कृदन्त, यत्/अनीयर्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तव्यता-वाचक कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• विचक्षणैः: by the discerning (men)
• विचक्षणैः: Karana/Agent-instrument (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन; कर्तृ-करणभावे (by the wise)

• लक्षणानि: signs/marks
• लक्षणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• परीक्ष्य: having examined
• परीक्ष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि + ईक्ष् (धातु) → परीक्ष्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund in -ya), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having examined)

• आदौ: at first/in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (locative used adverbially)

• हित्वा: having rejected
• हित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हा (धातु) → हित्वा (कृदन्त, क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having abandoned)

• दुर्लक्षणानि: bad signs
• दुर्लक्षणानि: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (addition/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also/even)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa dialogue context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Agastya (Ghaṭodbhava)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A decisive counsel scene: the teacher gestures toward a list of auspicious marks; a discerning householder couple/family consults sages before a wedding; inauspicious signs symbolically set aside.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Household dharma is protected by wise discernment—marriage is to be entered thoughtfully, prioritizing auspiciousness and stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific Kāśī tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is general dharma instruction within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it advises examination of signs before marriage.