Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

अस्यां चासक्तहृदयः स विप्रो मोहयंत्रितः । कदाचिदपि नैवागाज्ज्येष्ठपत्नीं पतिव्रताम्

Transliteration

asyāṃ cāsaktahṛdayaḥ sa vipro mohayaṃtritaḥ | kadācidapi naivāgājjyeṣṭhapatnīṃ pativratām

Translation

Hatinya terpaut kepadanya; brāhmaṇa itu terjerat oleh belenggu khayal-maya. Dia tidak pernah sekalipun mendatangi isteri sulungnya, yang pativratā—setia dan teguh kepada suami.

Word by Word

• अस्याम्: in her
• अस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (and)

• आसक्तहृदयः: whose heart was attached (to her)
• आसक्तहृदयः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसक्त (कृदन्त, √सञ्ज्/सक्त) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य हृदयम् आसक्तम्)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Samānādhikaraṇa (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोहयन्त्रितः: controlled by delusion
• मोहयन्त्रितः: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक) + यन्त्रित (कृदन्त, √यन्त्र्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (मोहेन यन्त्रितः = restrained/controlled by delusion)

• कदाचित्: ever/at any time
• कदाचित्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (at some time/ever)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (even/also), बलार्थे (emphatic)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation)

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अगात्: went
• अगात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• ज्येष्ठपत्नीम्: the elder wife
• ज्येष्ठपत्नीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (elder wife)

• पतिव्रताम्: devoted to her husband
• पतिव्रताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (devoted to her husband)

Speaker

Śrī Devī (continuing narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni/assembly (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa, eyes clouded by infatuation, remains with the younger wife; the elder wife—quiet, devoted, and dignified—stands apart, neglected yet steadfast in her vow.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Devī
• Vipra (brāhmaṇa)
• Jyeṣṭha-patnī (elder wife)
• Bhāminī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Moha (delusion) distorts duty: attachment leads to neglect of rightful responsibilities, harming dharma and generating suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; the verse delivers a dharmic warning within a karmic backstory.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a narrative moral lesson about gṛhastha conduct.