Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

कच्चिन्न कुरुषे मैत्रीं बंधकीभिः समं शुभे । धात्रीभिर्मालिकस्त्रीभी रजकीभिश्च भामिनि

Transliteration

kaccinna kuruṣe maitrīṃ baṃdhakībhiḥ samaṃ śubhe | dhātrībhirmālikastrībhī rajakībhiśca bhāmini

Translation

அருள்மிகு பெண்ணே, வेश्यைகள், தாதிகள், மாலைக்காரரின் பெண்கள், துவைப்பெண்கள் ஆகியோருடன் நீ நெருங்கிய நட்பை ஏற்படுத்தாமல் இருக்கிறாயா, காமினியே?

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: whether (I wonder)
• कच्चित्: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-निपात (interrogative particle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• कुरुषे: you do / you make
• कुरुषे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मैत्रीम्: friendship
• मैत्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• बंधकीभिः: with the courtesans/kept women
• बंधकीभिः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बंधकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• समम्: together; along with
• समम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-अव्यय (adverb meaning ‘together/with’)

• शुभे: O auspicious one
• शुभे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; विशेष्य-सम्बोधन

• धात्रीभिः: with the nurses/wet-nurses
• धात्रीभिः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• मालिकस्त्रीभिः: with the garland-sellers’ women / women garland-makers
• मालिकस्त्रीभिः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मालिका (प्रातिपदिक) + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘मालिकायाः स्त्रियः’

• रजकीभिः: with the washerwomen
• रजकीभिः: Sahakari (Association/सहकारी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• भामिनि: O lovely/angry-eyed woman
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya didactic voice; social-conduct injunction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa or elder addresses a richly adorned woman, cautioning her about forming close friendships with certain occupational groups; the setting hints at a pilgrimage town with ghāṭs and market lanes.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Association shapes character; dharma advises careful intimacy and company to protect virtue and household order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse addresses conduct relevant to life in a sacred/temple-centered society.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a social-ethical guideline about avoiding certain close associations.