Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

विद्वांसमप्यविद्वांसं यतस्ताधर्षयंत्यलम् । स्ववशं वापि कुर्वंति सूत्रबद्धशकुंतवत्

Transliteration

vidvāṃsamapyavidvāṃsaṃ yatastādharṣayaṃtyalam | svavaśaṃ vāpi kurvaṃti sūtrabaddhaśakuṃtavat

Translation

เพราะสตรีสามารถครอบงำได้อย่างยิ่งทั้งผู้มีวิชาและผู้ไร้วิชา และยังทำให้ตกอยู่ใต้อำนาจของตน—ดุจนกที่ถูกผูกด้วยเชือก

Word by Word

• विद्वांसम्: a learned man
• विद्वांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (even/also)

• अविद्वांसम्: an unlearned man
• अविद्वांसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Reason marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक (since/because)

• ताः: they (women)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अधर्षयन्ति: they overpower / harass
• अधर्षयन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि + हृष्/धृष् (धातु; causative sense)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; causative/णिजन्त-भाव (they overpower/assail)

• अलम्: completely
• अलम्: Sambandha (Adverbial modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पर्याप्त्यर्थक/अत्यर्थक (enough/fully)

• स्ववशम्: under their control
• स्ववशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य वशः) = ‘under one’s control’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-कार (also)

• कुर्वन्ति: they make
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• सूत्रबद्धशकुन्तवत्: like a bird tied by a string
• सूत्रबद्धशकुन्तवत्: Sambandha (Simile/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + बद्ध (कृदन्त; बन्ध् धातोः क्त) + शकुन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक ‘वत्’ (like); पूर्वपदसमूहः ‘सूत्रबद्ध-शकुन्त’ = तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्राय (a bird tied by a string)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced for Kāśīkhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegory: a bird struggles mid-flight, tethered by a thin string held by an unseen hand; nearby, a scholar and a commoner both look on, illustrating that bondage can seize anyone.

Characters & Entities

• Vidvān
• Avidvān

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment can bind even the intelligent; liberation-minded discipline requires guarding the senses and the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of Kāśīkhaṇḍa’s Kāśī dharma-teaching context, emphasizing purity of life in the sacred city.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it uses a metaphor to reinforce the ethical discipline expected in brahmacarya.