Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

अचेतनाश्च सावज्ञा जीवंतोपि न कीर्तये । अभिमानधना धन्या वरं योषित्सुसासती

Transliteration

acetanāśca sāvajñā jīvaṃtopi na kīrtaye | abhimānadhanā dhanyā varaṃ yoṣitsusāsatī

Translation

உயிருடன் இருந்தும் அறிவற்றும் அவமதிப்புடனும் இருப்போர் புகழத் தகாதோர். அகந்தையே செல்வமெனக் கொண்ட ‘பாக்கியவான்’களை விட சுசதி பெண் மேலானாள்.

Word by Word

• acetanāḥ: unconscious, insentient (women)
• acetanāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: acetanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. pl.)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sāvajñāḥ: disrespectful, contemptuous
• sāvajñāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sāvajñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. pl.)

• jīvantaḥ: living
• jīvantaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jīvat (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (pres. act. part.)

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

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• kīrtaye: I praise / I mention
• kīrtaye: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kīrt (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (I praise/mention)

• abhimāna-dhanāḥ: having pride as wealth
• abhimāna-dhanāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhimāna (प्रातिपदिक) + dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. pl.)

• dhanyāḥ: fortunate, blessed
• dhanyāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. nom. pl.)

• varam: rather, better
• varam: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगः (indeclinable adverbial: better/rather)

• yoṣit-su-asatī: a woman who is very unchaste
• yoṣit-su-asatī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoṣit (प्रातिपदिक) + su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + asatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयः (su-asatī = very unchaste); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced Kāśīkhaṇḍa norm: Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment in Kāśī: a speaker contrasts empty ‘living’ arrogance with the luminous dignity of a virtuous, devoted woman; background hints of ghāṭas and temple spires.

Characters & Entities

• Satī
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere social standing or ‘fortune’ is worthless if rooted in arrogance; true worth is dharma and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not a specific tīrtha in this verse; it supports Kāśī’s Mahākāla-centered dharma by contrasting virtue and pride.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is moral evaluation—praise is due to virtue and devotion, not ego.