Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

तैस्तैः सपत्नीदुर्वाक्यैर्दुनोपि त्वं यथार्भक । तथाऽहमपि दूनास्मि नितरां तद्वचोऽग्निना

Transliteration

taistaiḥ sapatnīdurvākyairdunopi tvaṃ yathārbhaka | tathā'hamapi dūnāsmi nitarāṃ tadvaco'gninā

Translation

Assim como tu, qual criança, foste ferido pelas palavras duras das coesposas rivais, assim também eu estou ainda mais abrasada—queimada por esse fogo da fala.

Word by Word

• taiḥ: by those
• taiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• taiḥ: by various
• taiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति—वितर्क/विविधता (‘various’)

• sapatnī-durvākyaiḥ: by the co-wives’ harsh words
• sapatnī-durvākyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sapatnī (प्रातिपदिक) + dur-vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: sapatnī-durvākyāni = ‘सपत्नीनां दुर्वाक्यानि’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन

• dūnaḥ: afflicted
• dūnaḥ: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dūna (कृदन्त; √dūn/√dū? ‘to afflict’)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘afflicted’

• api: also
• api: Modifier (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (also/even)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yathā: as
• yathā: Modifier (Comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/like)

• arbhaka: O child
• arbhaka: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arbhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• tathā: so
• tathā: Modifier (Correlation/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: तदनुरूप/एवमेव-अव्यय (so/in the same way)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Modifier (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also)

• dūnā: afflicted
• dūnā: Karta (Subject complement/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dūna (कृदन्त; √dūn/√dū?)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriya (Copula/अस्तिक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• nitarām: exceedingly
• nitarām: Modifier (Degree/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitarām (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तीव्रता-वाचक (exceedingly)

• tat-vacaḥ: that speech
• tat-vacaḥ: Karana (Instrumental sense via next word/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: tat-vacas = ‘तस्य वचः’ (that speech/word); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• agninā: by fire
• agninā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; उपमान/करण

Speaker

A royal mother/queen (rājapatnī), speaking to her son

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vulnerable child and a sorrowing figure are shown affected by cutting words from rival co-wives; speech is visualized as flames or sharp arrows, yet the sufferers remain inwardly composed.

Characters & Entities

• Sapatnī (rival co-wives)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cruel speech is portrayed as a real ‘fire’ that burns hearts; dharma includes restraint and compassion in words.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular site is named; the verse is part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader sacred narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is ethical and emotional, condemning harmful speech.