Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 100

Devanagari script

यदेषार्यपथं हित्वा जारमार्गरता पुरा । तेन पापेन केनापि दुर्वृत्ता दुर्भगापि वा

Transliteration

yadeṣāryapathaṃ hitvā jāramārgaratā purā | tena pāpena kenāpi durvṛttā durbhagāpi vā

Translation

ଆର୍ୟପଥ ଛାଡ଼ି ସେ ପୂର୍ବେ ଜାରମାର୍ଗରେ ରତ ଥିଲା; ସେଇ ପାପଫଳରେ ଏଠାରେ ସେ ଦୁର୍ବୃତ୍ତା ଓ ଦୁର୍ଭାଗ୍ୟବତୀ ହେଲା।

Word by Word

• yat: that (fact) that
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत्

• eṣā: this woman
• eṣā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्तृ

• ārya-patham: the noble path
• ārya-patham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārya + patha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म; समासः—आर्यः पन्थाः (noble path)

• hitvā: having abandoned
• hitvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धातु) + ktvā (कृत्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having abandoned’

• jāra-mārga-ratā: devoted to the path of a paramour
• jāra-mārga-ratā: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jāra + mārga + rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—जारस्य मार्गः (paramour’s way) तस्मिन् रता (devoted)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (formerly)

• tena: by that
• tena: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेतु/करण

• pāpena: by (that) sin
• pāpena: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; हेतु/करण

• kena: by some (unspecified)
• kena: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; प्रश्न/अनिर्दिष्ट-हेतु (‘by what/some’)

• api: even / also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

• durvṛttā: of bad conduct
• durvṛttā: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—दुष्टं वृत्तम् यस्याः/दुष्टवृत्ता

• durbhagā: unfortunate
• durbhagā: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur + bhaga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण; समासः—दुर्भाग्ययुक्ता

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कार-अव्यय (also/even)

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Brahmottara Khaṇḍa; likely Sūta-style narration)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A split narrative: earlier-life scene of abandoning the noble path for clandestine meetings; present-life scene of social turmoil, misfortune, and inner restlessness; dharma-path shown as a bright road left behind.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Turning away from ārya-patha (righteous living) is depicted as creating patterns of misfortune and moral instability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it contributes to the moral background before the later praise of Śiva-vrata.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical warning centered on conduct (ācāra).