Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

सावज्ञं स पुनः प्राह किं करिष्यत्यसौ प्रिये । मृगाक्षीणां स्वभावोयं प्रायशो भीरुवृत्तयः

Transliteration

sāvajñaṃ sa punaḥ prāha kiṃ kariṣyatyasau priye | mṛgākṣīṇāṃ svabhāvoyaṃ prāyaśo bhīruvṛttayaḥ

Translation

அவன் அலட்சியமாக மீண்டும் சொன்னான்—‘பிரியமே, அவன் என்ன செய்ய முடியும்? மான்-கண் பெண்களின் இயல்பு இதுவே; பெரும்பாலும் அவர்கள் அச்சமுடையவர்களாக இருப்பார்கள்.’

Word by Word

• सावज्ञम्: contemptuously
• सावज्ञम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (सह/सम् उपसर्गार्थ) + avajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमास; क्रियाविशेषण; ‘अवज्ञया सह/सावज्ञम्’ = contemptuously

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; nominative singular

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (अह्/ब्रू-अर्थे धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; interrogative; object of verb

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• असौ: that one (he)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asau (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; nominative singular

• प्रिये: O dear (one)
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; vocative singular

• मृगाक्षीणाम्: of doe-eyed women
• मृगाक्षीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-बहुवचन; genitive plural; ‘मृगाक्षी’ = doe-eyed women

• स्वभावः: nature
• स्वभावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; nominative singular; ‘स्वस्य भावः’

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; nominative singular; (refers to svabhāvaḥ)

• प्रायशः: generally
• प्रायशः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prāyaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आवृत्तिवाचक/प्रायिकत्वे क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: generally)

• भीरुवृत्तयः: of timid disposition
• भीरुवृत्तयः: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhīru (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-बहुवचन; nominative plural; agreeing with implied ‘(स्त्रियः)’/with ‘मृगाक्षीणाम्’ sense

Speaker

Male bird (mate of Pārāvatī), replying to her; narrative voice preserved

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The male bird responds with contempt, questioning the threat and stereotyping ‘doe-eyed’ women as naturally timid.

Characters & Entities

• Pārāvatī (female bird/mate)
• Śyena (hawk)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Arrogance and contempt for prudent advice lead to harm; dharma favors humility and attentive listening.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is a moral episode within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.