Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

सर्पिर्लवणतैलादि क्षयेपि च पतिव्रता । पतिं नास्तीति न ब्रूयादायासेषु न योजयेत्

Transliteration

sarpirlavaṇatailādi kṣayepi ca pativratā | patiṃ nāstīti na brūyādāyāseṣu na yojayet

Translation

నెయ్యి, ఉప్పు, నూనె మొదలైనవి తరిగిపోయినా పతివ్రత ‘భర్త లేడు’ అని అనకూడదు. అలాగే భర్తను కష్టదాయకమైన శ్రమల్లోకి నెట్టకూడదు.

Word by Word

• सर्पिः: ghee
• सर्पिः: Karta (topic/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस्/सर्पि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• लवण-तैल-आदि: salt, oil, etc.
• लवण-तैल-आदि: Karta (co-topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लवण (प्रातिपदिक) + तैल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः: ‘लवणं तैलं च आदयः’ (salt, oil, etc.)

• क्षये: in depletion/when lacking
• क्षये: Adhikaraṇa (locative circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (concessive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• पति-व्रता: a devoted wife (pativratā)
• पति-व्रता: Karta (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘पतेः व्रतं यस्याः सा’ (conventional term)

• पतिम्: husband
• पतिम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus/that
• इति: Sambandha (quotation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-निपात (quotative marker)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• ब्रूयात्: should say
• ब्रूयात्: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• आयासेषु: in hardships/exertions
• आयासेषु: Adhikaraṇa (locative circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• योजयेत्: should engage/should put (him) to
• योजयेत्: Kriya (action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A humble household scene: empty jars of ghee/oil/salt, yet the wife remains composed, offering simple food and speaking gently; husband rests from labor; a small lamp and bilva leaves suggest devotion amid poverty.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī
• Pativratā-dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches dignity and restraint in hardship—avoiding disparagement and avoiding needless burdening of one’s spouse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the overarching sacred context; the verse focuses on dharma rather than naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it provides household ethics for times of scarcity (kṣaya) as part of righteous living.