Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

कृष्णोपि सांबमाहूय सहसैवाशपत्सुतम् । सर्वा जांबवतीतुल्याः पश्यंतमपि दुर्विधेः

Transliteration

kṛṣṇopi sāṃbamāhūya sahasaivāśapatsutam | sarvā jāṃbavatītulyāḥ paśyaṃtamapi durvidheḥ

Translation

కృష్ణుడు కూడా సాంబుని పిలిచి అకస్మాత్తుగా తన కుమారునికి శాపమిచ్చాడు—“ఓ దురదృష్టుడా! వీరందరూ నిన్ను చూస్తూనే జాంబవతీతో సమానులై పోవుగాక!”

Word by Word

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); ‘also/even’

• साम्बम्: Sāmba
• साम्बम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• आहूय: having summoned
• आहूय: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-√ह्वे (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund) — ‘having called/summoned’

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — ‘suddenly/quickly’

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis) — ‘indeed/just’

• अशपत्: cursed
• अशपत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम् — ‘cursed’

• सुतम्: the son
• सुतम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (adjective)

• जाम्बवतीतुल्याः: equal to Jāmbavatī
• जाम्बवतीतुल्याः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाम्बवती-तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः — ‘जाम्बवत्याः तुल्याः’

• पश्यन्तम्: seeing (them)
• पश्यन्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्यन्त् (कृदन्त; √पश् (धातु) शतृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); वर्तमानकृदन्त — ‘seeing/looking’ (qualifies सुतम्)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); ‘even/also’

• दुर्विधेः: of ill fate/misfortune
• दुर्विधेः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्-विधि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुषः — ‘दुष्टः विधिः’/‘दुर्विधिः’ (ill fate)

Speaker

Kṛṣṇa (addressing Sāmba), deduced from verse wording

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Krishna calls Sāmba close and pronounces a sudden curse; the women, mid-gaze, are fated to become like Jāmbavatī—an abrupt turn from play to consequence.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Sāmba
• Jāmbavatī
• Gopikāḥ (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire that disrupts dharma invites swift correction; even family bonds do not override the need to uphold moral order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit in this verse; it is a narrative episode within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa corpus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse centers on narrative consequence (śāpa) as a dharmic corrective.