Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

गुणागुणविचार्येत्थं स वै विश्वानरो द्विजः । उद्ववाह विधानेन स्वोचितां कुलकन्यकाम्

Transliteration

guṇāguṇavicāryetthaṃ sa vai viśvānaro dvijaḥ | udvavāha vidhānena svocitāṃ kulakanyakām

Translation

ครั้นพิจารณาคุณและโทษดังนี้แล้ว พราหมณ์ทวิชะนามวิศวานระจึงได้อภิเษกสมรสตามพิธีอันถูกต้อง กับกุลกัญญาผู้เหมาะสมแก่ตระกูลของตน

Word by Word

• गुणागुणविचार्य: having considered merits and demerits
• गुणागुणविचार्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गुण + अगुण + विचार्य (सम् + चर्/चिन्त्?; विचार्य = विचार् (धातु) + ल्यप्)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाववत् कृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive: having considered); समासः: गुण-अगुण (द्वन्द्व) + विचार्य (तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्ध)

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: thus)

• स: he
• स: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निश्चयार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle: indeed)

• विश्वानरः: Viśvānara (name)
• विश्वानरः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वानर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• द्विजः: a Brahmin (twice-born)
• द्विजः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्

• उद्ववाह: married/took in marriage
• उद्ववाह: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + वह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• विधानेन: by (proper) procedure/rites
• विधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• स्वोचिताम्: suitable for him
• स्वोचिताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + उचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम् (Feminine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; समासः: स्व-उचित (to oneself suitable)

• कुलकन्यकाम्: a maiden of good family
• कुलकन्यकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kula-kanyakā = girl of a family/noble maiden)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brāhmaṇa Viśvānara, after deliberation, performs a Vedic wedding with sacred fire, garlands, and elders witnessing; Kāśī’s temple skyline subtly behind.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvānara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Householder life should begin through dharmic discernment and rite-bound conduct, not impulse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is the overarching sacred setting of the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Marriage is to be performed “vidhānena”—in accordance with prescribed Vedic/Smārta rites.