Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

यस्याः प्रणश्यते पुष्पं गर्भो वा पतते यदि । म्रियंते बालका यस्याः काकवंध्या च या भवेत् । धारयेत इमां विद्यामेभिर्दोषैर्न लिप्यते

Transliteration

yasyāḥ praṇaśyate puṣpaṃ garbho vā patate yadi | mriyaṃte bālakā yasyāḥ kākavaṃdhyā ca yā bhavet | dhārayeta imāṃ vidyāmebhirdoṣairna lipyate

Translation

ଯାହାର ସ୍ତ୍ରୀର ରଜଃସ୍ରାବ ରୁଦ୍ଧ ହୁଏ, କିମ୍ବା ଗର୍ଭପାତ ହୁଏ; ଯାହାର ସନ୍ତାନ ମରିଯାନ୍ତି, କିମ୍ବା ଯେ କାକବନ୍ଧ୍ୟା (ଗର୍ଭ ଧରିଲେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଜୀବନ୍ତ ସନ୍ତାନ ନ ହେବା) ହୁଏ—ସେ ଏହି ପବିତ୍ର ବିଦ୍ୟା ଧାରଣ କଲେ ଏହି ଦୋଷ ଓ କ୍ଲେଶ ତାକୁ ଲିପ୍ତ କରେନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• yasyāḥ: Whose
• yasyāḥ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• praṇaśyate: Is destroyed/perishes
• praṇaśyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + naś (प्र + नश्)
• Form: Passive (Karmani), Lat Lakara (Present), 3rd Person, Singular

• puṣpam: Flower (referring to menstruation/ovum)
• puṣpam: Karma (Object/कर्म) in Passive construction
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣpa (पुष्प)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• garbhaḥ: Fetus/Pregnancy
• garbhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (गर्भ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vā: Or
• vā: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (वा)
• Form: Conjunction

• patate: Falls (Miscarries)
• patate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pat (पत्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), 3rd Person, Singular, Atmanepada

• yadi: If
• yadi: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (यदि)
• Form: Conditional Particle

• mriyante: Die
• mriyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mṛ (मृ)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), 3rd Person, Plural, Atmanepada

• bālakāḥ: Children
• bālakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālaka (बालक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• kākavandhyā: One-child woman (lit. crow-barren)
• kākavandhyā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kākavandhyā (काकवन्ध्या)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: And
• ca: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

• yā: Who (she)
• yā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhavet: May be/Should be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (भू)
• Form: Vidhilin Lakara (Potential), 3rd Person, Singular

• dhārayeta: Should hold/wear
• dhārayeta: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धृ)
• Form: Vidhilin (Optative) or Arsha Prayoga, 3rd Person, Singular

• imām: This
• imām: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• vidyām: Knowledge/Mantra
• vidyām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (विद्या)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ebhiḥ: By these
• ebhiḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• doṣaiḥ: By faults/defects
• doṣaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (दोष)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• na: Not
• na: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (न)
• Form: Negation

• lipyate: Is tainted/affected
• lipyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: lip (लिप्)
• Form: Passive (Karmani), Lat Lakara (Present), 3rd Person, Singular

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa Sūta (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A distressed woman seeking protection for conception and safe childbirth, receiving a sacred vidyā as a protective amulet/yantra from a guru or goddess presence; the atmosphere is compassionate and remedial.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches faith in a sanctioned sacred vidyā as a dhārmic means of protection—removing doṣa and alleviating suffering through disciplined retention (dhāraṇa) and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse, as quoted, emphasizes the power of a vidyā rather than naming a particular tīrtha; any site-context would depend on adjacent verses in Kaumārikākhaṇḍa Adhyāya 62.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dhāraṇa of the vidyā—i.e., retaining/bearing it (commonly understood as keeping it on one’s person or maintaining its observance through japa/amulet per the surrounding passage).