Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 90

Devanagari script

अपुत्रत्वं वरं नृणां कुपुत्रात्कुलपांसनात् । त्यजेदेकं कुलस्यार्थे नीतिरेषा सनातनी

Transliteration

aputratvaṃ varaṃ nṛṇāṃ kuputrātkulapāṃsanāt | tyajedekaṃ kulasyārthe nītireṣā sanātanī

Translation

สำหรับมนุษย์ ความไร้บุตรยังประเสริฐกว่ามีบุตรชั่ว—เป็นมลทินแห่งตระกูล เพื่อประโยชน์แห่งวงศ์สกุล อาจสละคนหนึ่งได้ นี่คือกฎแห่งนีติธรรมอันเป็นนิรันดร์

Word by Word

• अपुत्रत्वम्: childlessness
• अपुत्रत्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + पुत्रत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• वरम्: better
• वरम्: Pradhana-visheshana (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive); बहुवचन

• कुपुत्रात्: than a bad son
• कुपुत्रात्: Apadana (Source/than)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative); एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (कुपुत्रः)

• कुलपांसनात्: than the disgrace of the family
• कुलपांसनात्: Apadana (Source/than)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + पांसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कुलस्य पांसनम् = disgrace/filth of the family)

• त्यजेत्: one should abandon
• त्यजेत्: Kriya (Injunction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एकम्: one (person)
• एकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative); एकवचन

• कुलस्य: of the family
• कुलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• अर्थे: for the sake
• अर्थे: Adhikarana (Purpose-locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative); एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• नीतिः: policy; principle
• नीतिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: Visheshana (Qualifier of नीति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative)

• सनातनी: eternal; ancient
• सनातनी: Visheshana (Qualifier of नीति)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (नीति इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda (narrating to Agastya, Kāśīkhaṇḍa frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-like elder pronounces an austere maxim: better no son than a wicked son; the scene is composed like a moral tableau—elder seated, listeners subdued, dharma-texts or ritual items nearby.

Characters & Entities

• kulanīti (family ethics)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma prioritizes integrity over mere lineage continuation; a corrupt heir harms the family’s spiritual and social standing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the verse belongs to the Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s broader Kāśī-centered teaching context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a nīti (ethical maxim).