Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

हितवर्त्मोपदिश्यापि प्रिय प्रियचिकीर्षया । साध्व्या जोषं समास्थेयं कार्यं पत्युर्वचः सदा

Transliteration

hitavartmopadiśyāpi priya priyacikīrṣayā | sādhvyā joṣaṃ samāstheyaṃ kāryaṃ patyurvacaḥ sadā

Translation

ਭਾਵੇਂ ਉਹ ਹਿਤਕਾਰੀ ਮਾਰਗ ਦੀ ਸਲਾਹ ਦੇ ਚੁੱਕੀ ਹੋਵੇ, ਤੱਥਾਪਿ ਪਤੀ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਿਯ ਹਿਤ ਦੀ ਇੱਛਾ ਨਾਲ ਸਾਧਵੀ ਪਤਨੀ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ਾਂਤ ਤੇ ਸੰਯਮਿਤ ਰਹਿਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ; ਅਤੇ ਸਦਾ ਪਤੀ ਦੇ ਬਚਨ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਹੀ ਕਰਮ ਕਰਨਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• हितवर्त्म: beneficial path
• हितवर्त्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्त्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (हितं वर्त्म यस्य/यत्)

• उपदिश्य: having instructed
• उपदिश्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√दिश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभावः; ‘having instructed’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-भाव

• प्रिय: O dear (one)
• प्रिय: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; संबोधनपदम्

• प्रियचिकीर्षया: with the desire to do what is dear
• प्रियचिकीर्षया: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument/हेतु/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) + चिकीर्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रियस्य चिकीर्षा)

• साध्व्या: by a virtuous woman/wife
• साध्व्या: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; कर्तृ-सम्बन्धे (by a virtuous wife)

• जोषम्: contentment/quiet compliance
• जोषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• समास्थेयम्: should be maintained/adopted
• समास्थेयम्: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive/Obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; ‘should be adopted/maintained’

• कार्यम्: what is to be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ + यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विधेयार्थे ‘to be done’

• पत्युः: of the husband
• पत्युः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• वचः: word/command
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Narrator (within Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Inside a palace or lofty nest-like dwelling, the virtuous pigeon-wife speaks gently after advising a wholesome course; she remains composed, hands folded, while the husband listens—an intimate domestic dharma tableau.

Characters & Entities

• Sādhvī (virtuous wife)
• Pati (husband)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches household discipline: offer good counsel, then maintain composure and unity in action for the stability of dharma in family life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī remains the macro-context of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa, but the verse itself is a general dharma-instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it is ethical guidance (ācāra).