Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

बाधया रहिता गावः कच्चित्संति महीतले । स्त्रियः संति हि सुश्रीकाः पतिव्रतपरायणाः

Transliteration

bādhayā rahitā gāvaḥ kaccitsaṃti mahītale | striyaḥ saṃti hi suśrīkāḥ pativrataparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

पृथ्वीवर गायी बाधा-व्यथांपासून मुक्त आहेत काय? आणि सौभाग्यवती स्त्रिया पतिव्रतधर्मात परायण आहेत काय?

Word by Word

• बाधया: by affliction/trouble
• बाधया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया एकवचन

• रहिता: free from
• रहिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन (वैदिक/काव्ये ‘रहिता’ बहुवचन-रूपेण); ‘गावः’ इति विशेषणम्; अर्थः ‘free from’ (with instr.)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• कच्चित्: surely? I hope
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Interrogative particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-नूनार्थक

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• महीतले: on the earth
• महीतले: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + तल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘मही-तल’ (surface of the earth)

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन

• सन्ति: are
• सन्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/हेतु (indeed/for)

• सुश्रीकाः: beautiful, auspicious
• सुश्रीकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + श्रीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः/उपसर्गयुक्तः ‘सु-श्रीक’ = very auspicious/beautiful

• पतिव्रतपरायणाः: devoted to their husbands
• पतिव्रतपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति + व्रत + परायण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘पतिव्रते परायणाः’ (devoted to the husband’s vow)

Speaker

Śiva (Śambhu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A peaceful vision of earth’s well-being: healthy cows grazing near a sacred settlement; dignified household women embodying pativratā-dharma; Śambhu’s inquiry frames these as auspicious omens.

Characters & Entities

• Cows
• Women (patīvratāḥ)
• Earth (Mahī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A dharmic world is measured by compassion (care for cows and beings) and steadiness in household virtues.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it supports the Kāśī narrative by describing markers of dharmic prosperity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it emphasizes social and ethical ideals aligned with dharma.