Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

विषमालोड्य पास्यामि प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम् । वरं न तु विरूपस्योद्वोढुर्भार्या कथंचन

Transliteration

viṣamāloḍya pāsyāmi pravekṣyāmi hutāśanam | varaṃ na tu virūpasyodvoḍhurbhāryā kathaṃcana

Translation

“ഞാൻ വിഷം കലക്കി കുടിക്കും, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഹുതാശനത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിക്കും; എന്നാൽ എങ്ങനെയും ആ വിരൂപ വരന്റെ ഭാര്യയായിരിക്കില്ല.”

Word by Word

• विषम्: poison
• विषम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आलोड्य: having mixed (it)
• आलोड्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-लुड्/आलोड् (धातु) → आलोद्य (ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); 'having stirred/mixed'

• पास्यामि: I shall drink
• पास्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु; 'to drink')
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्/Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्रवेक्ष्यामि: I shall enter
• प्रवेक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हुताशनम्: the fire
• हुताशनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हुत-आशन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; हुतं अश्नाति इति/हुतस्य आशनः = 'fire'

• वरम्: rather
• वरम्: Kriya-vishesana (Preference/प्राधान्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चय/प्राधान्यवाचक) = 'rather, better'

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

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विरोध/अवधारण) = 'but, however'

• विरूपस्य: of the ugly one
• विरूपस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; 'of an ugly (man)'

• उद्वोढुः: of the would-be husband
• उद्वोढुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उद्-वह् (धातु) → उद्वोढृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-अर्थे कर्तरि 'उद्वोढृ' (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; 'of the one who would marry/lead away'

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कथंचन: in any way at all
• कथंचन: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध-प्रकारवाचक) = 'in any way/at all' (often with negation)

Speaker

Narrator (within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa discourse; traditionally Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maiden, eyes blazing with resolve and tears, gestures toward poison or a sacrificial fire, declaring she would rather die than accept the ‘misshapen’ groom; family members look alarmed.

Characters & Entities

• hutāśana (fire)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unchecked social compulsion in marriage can lead to extreme despair; dharma requires discernment, consent, and suitability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the references to poison and fire are expressions of refusal, not a prescribed rite.