Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

दीर्घायुरथवाल्पायुः सगुणो निर्गुणोऽपि वा । सकृद्वृतो मया भर्ता न द्वितीयं वृणोम्यहम्

Transliteration

dīrghāyurathavālpāyuḥ saguṇo nirguṇo'pi vā | sakṛdvṛto mayā bhartā na dvitīyaṃ vṛṇomyaham

Translation

അവൻ ദീർഘായുസ്സുള്ളവനായാലും അല്പായുസ്സുള്ളവനായാലും, ഗുണവാനായാലും ഗുണരഹിതനായാലും—ഞാൻ ഒരിക്കൽ അവനെ ഭർത്താവായി തിരഞ്ഞെടുത്തു; രണ്ടാമനെ ഞാൻ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• dīrgha-āyuḥ: long-lived
• dīrgha-āyuḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīrgha (प्रातिपदिक) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास

• athavā: or
• athavā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive: or)

• alpa-āyuḥ: short-lived
• alpa-āyuḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: alpa (प्रातिपदिक) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास

• sa-guṇaḥ: with virtues
• sa-guṇaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (उपसर्ग/सह) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सहार्थक-तत्पुरुष (guṇaiḥ saha)

• nir-guṇaḥ: without virtues
• nir-guṇaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis/nir (उपसर्ग) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निः-पूर्वक तत्पुरुष (without qualities)

• api: even, also
• api: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (even/also)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (or)

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: आवृत्तिवाचक अव्यय (once)

• vṛtaḥ: chosen
• vṛtaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (वृ धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• bhartā: husband
• bhartā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• dvitīyam: a second (one)
• dvitīyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (elliptic: ‘a second [husband]’)

• vṛṇomi: I choose
• vṛṇomi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛ (वृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sāvitrī

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (father) and assembly (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sāvitrī declares her unshakeable choice, her posture resolute; elders and sages witness her vow-like statement, atmosphere of solemn dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Satyavān (implied as chosen husband)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Steadfastness in righteous commitment is a hallmark of Dharma, especially in vows and relationships.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching appears within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, where sacred place-narrative conveys Dharma ideals.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new rite; it reinforces the irrevocability of marital choice and vow-like determination.