Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

इति भीतो महाक्लेशाच्चिंता लेभे दुरत्ययाम् । स्त्रियः कामेन नश्यंति ब्राह्मणा हीनसेवया

Transliteration

iti bhīto mahākleśācciṃtā lebhe duratyayām | striyaḥ kāmena naśyaṃti brāhmaṇā hīnasevayā

Translation

ਇਹ ਕਹਿ ਕੇ, ਮਹਾਂ ਕਲੇਸ਼ ਤੋਂ ਡਰਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਉਹ ਅਤਿ ਦੁਰਲੰਘ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਡੁੱਬ ਗਿਆ: “ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀਆਂ ਕਾਮ-ਵਾਸਨਾ ਨਾਲ ਨਾਸ ਹੁੰਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ, ਅਤੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਅਯੋਗਾਂ ਦੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰ ਕੇ (ਨੀਚ ਆਸਰੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੈ ਕੇ) ਨਾਸ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ।”

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/quotative particle) — indeclinable, used to mark reported speech/thought

• भीतः: frightened
• भीतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) → भीत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — past passive participle used adjectivally

• महाक्लेशात्: from great distress
• महाक्लेशात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्लेश (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + क्लेश
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन — ablative of cause/source

• चिन्ताम्: anxiety, worry
• चिन्ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चिन्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• लेभे: obtained, came to have
• लेभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• दुरत्ययाम्: hard to overcome
• दुरत्ययाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुरत्यया (प्रातिपदिक) = दुर् + अत्यय
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — agrees with चिन्ताम्

• स्त्रियः: women
• स्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कामेन: by desire, through lust
• कामेन: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — instrumental of cause/means

• नश्यन्ति: perish, are ruined
• नश्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• हीनसेवया: by base/low service
• हीनसेवया: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हीनसेवा (प्रातिपदिक) = हीन + सेवा
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन — instrumental of cause/means

Speaker

Narrator (context not explicit in excerpt; likely Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A worried figure, shaken by calamity, speaks a grim maxim about lust and unworthy dependence; the atmosphere is tense, moralizing, and foreboding.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Uncontrolled desire and unworthy dependence both lead to decline; self-restraint and discernment protect dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it functions as a general dharma/nīti statement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse gives a moral warning rather than a rite (vrata/dāna/snānā).