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

நல்ல வழியை அறிவுறுத்தினாலும், தன் பிரியனுக்குப் பிரியமானதையே நாடும் சாத்வி மனைவி அமைதியுடன் நிலைத்திருக்க வேண்டும்; கணவனின் சொல்லை எப்போதும் நிறைவேற்ற வேண்டும்.

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).