Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

आरोप्य शूद्रां शयने विप्रो गच्छेदधोगतिम् । उत्पाद्य पुत्रं शूद्रायां ब्राह्मण्यादेव हीयते

Transliteration

āropya śūdrāṃ śayane vipro gacchedadhogatim | utpādya putraṃ śūdrāyāṃ brāhmaṇyādeva hīyate

Translation

ਜੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਸ਼ੂਦ੍ਰ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਨੂੰ ਆਪਣੇ ਸ਼ਯਨ ‘ਤੇ ਚੜ੍ਹਾਵੇ, ਤਾਂ ਉਹ ਅਧੋਗਤੀ ਨੂੰ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ੂਦ੍ਰਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਉਤਪੰਨ ਕਰਕੇ, ਉਹ ਆਪਣੇ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ-ਪਦ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਹਟ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• आरोप्य: having placed/mounted
• आरोप्य: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-√रुह् (धातु) → आरोप्य (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया; ‘आरोहणं कृत्वा’

• शूद्राम्: a Śūdra woman
• शूद्राम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म

• शयने: on the bed
• शयने: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• विप्रः: a Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्ता

• गच्छेत्: would go (incurs)
• गच्छेत्: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; विधान/नियमार्थ

• अधोगतिम्: a downward state/hellish course
• अधोगतिम्: Karma/Phala (Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधः-गति (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म (गन्तव्य/फल)

• उत्पाद्य: having begotten/produced
• उत्पाद्य: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√पद्/√पाद् (धातु) → उत्पाद्य (क्त्वा/ल्यप्)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया; ‘उत्पादनं कृत्वा’

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म

• शूद्रायाम्: in/with a Śūdra woman
• शूद्रायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरणे (in/with a Śūdra woman)

• ब्राह्मण्यात्: from Brahminhood/Brahmin status
• ब्राह्मण्यात्: Apādāna (Separation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादान (separation)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• हीयते: is deprived/declines
• हीयते: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगार्थः (is diminished/loses)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cautionary allegory: a learned brāhmaṇa figure turning away from a dark temptation; below, a shadowy descent motif (adhogati) contrasted with a luminous path of dharma leading toward a temple spire.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It warns that violating prescribed conduct leads to spiritual and social downfall as described by the text’s dharma code.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No sacred site is directly referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is described; it states a prohibition and its karmic/social consequences.