Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

भर्तुर्व्ययेपि वैधव्यं क्षणमात्रमपीह न । मम भावि महादेव पातिव्रत्यं च यातु मा

Transliteration

bharturvyayepi vaidhavyaṃ kṣaṇamātramapīha na | mama bhāvi mahādeva pātivratyaṃ ca yātu mā

Translation

ஓ மகாதேவா! என் கணவர் மறைந்தாலும் இங்கே எனக்கு ஒரு கணமும் விதவைத்தன்மை நேராதிருக்க; இனி என்றும் என் பத்தினித் தர்மம் (பாதிவ்ரத்யம்) என்னை விட்டு நீங்காதிருக்க.

Word by Word

• भर्तुः: of (my) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• व्यये: in the death (loss)
• व्यये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘व्यय’ = नाश/विनाश (death, loss)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक-अव्ययम् (even/also)

• वैधव्यम्: widowhood
• वैधव्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैधव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• क्षणमात्रम्: even for a mere moment
• क्षणमात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षण-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः ‘क्षणस्य मात्रम्’ (only a moment)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक-अव्ययम् (even)

• इह: here
• इह: Desha (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक-अव्ययम् (here/in this life)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negation)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• भावि: future, forthcoming
• भावि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘भावि’ = भविष्यत्/आगामि (future); अत्र ‘मम (भविष्यत्)’ इति विशेषणवत्

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-देव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः ‘महान् देवः’

• पातिव्रत्यम्: wifely fidelity, devotion to husband
• पातिव्रत्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पातिव्रत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘पतिव्रता-भावः’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक-अव्ययम्

• यातु: may it go/come to pass
• यातु: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• मा: not (lest)
• मा: Pratishedha (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (prohibitive particle)

Speaker

Pulomā’s daughter (Paulomī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sages/devotees

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee-woman prays to Mahādeva for unbroken saubhāgya and unwavering fidelity; the scene balances tenderness and anxiety, with Śiva’s protective presence.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Pātivratya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes the puranic virtue of steadfast fidelity and seeking divine protection for auspicious household life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vow-and-boon narrative is situated in Kāśī-khaṇḍa, implying Kāśī’s special power to fulfill dharmic aspirations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual act is specified in this verse; it is a boon-request connected to the forthcoming vrata teaching.