Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

गेहिनो हेलया जिग्युर्दस्यून्दूर्ग पतिर्यथा । न केऽपि प्रभवस्तां चाप्यनुकर्तुं गृहेश्वरीम्

Transliteration

gehino helayā jigyurdasyūndūrga patiryathā | na ke'pi prabhavastāṃ cāpyanukartuṃ gṛheśvarīm

Translation

ଯେପରି ଦୁର୍ଗପତି ଦସ୍ୟୁମାନଙ୍କୁ ଜୟ କରେ, ସେପରି ଗୃହସ୍ଥମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସହଜରେ କ୍ଲେଶ ଜୟ କରନ୍ତି; କିନ୍ତୁ ଗୃହେଶ୍ୱରୀ—ପୋଷଣକର୍ତ୍ରୀ—ତାଙ୍କୁ ଯଥାର୍ଥ ଅନୁକରଣ କରିବାକୁ କାହାରି ସାମର୍ଥ୍ୟ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• gehinaḥ: householders
• gehinaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gehin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• helayā: with ease, playfully
• helayā: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: helā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• jigyuḥ: conquered
• jigyuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ji (जि धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• dasyūn: bandits
• dasyūn: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dasyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• durga-patiḥ: the lord of a fort
• durga-patiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durga (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दुर्गस्य पतिः)

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparative/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/उदाहरण-वाचक अव्यय (as, just as)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• ke: any (persons)
• ke: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; प्रश्न/अनिश्चित-प्रयोग (who/any)

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

• prabhavaḥ: capable, able (ones)
• prabhavaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक, स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

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

• anukartum: to imitate, to follow
• anukartum: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive), उपसर्गः ‘अनु-’

• gṛha-īśvarīm: the mistress of the house
• gṛha-īśvarīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गृहस्य ईश्वरी)

Speaker

Daityendra/Vajrāṅga (continued reflection; implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A fortified city/house as a ‘durgā’; the householder as vigilant guardian; bandit-like troubles repelled; at the center, the gṛheśvarī calmly sustaining the home—symbolizing the unseen strength that cannot be imitated.

Characters & Entities

• Gehin (householder)
• Gṛheśvarī (mistress of the home)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa praises the often-unseen spiritual strength of household life and the central sustaining role of the virtuous wife.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is indicated in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a praise-statement reinforcing household dharma.