Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

प्रायश्चित्तं बुधैरुक्तं व्रतिनां स्त्रीवधे कृते । न संगात्तु पुनस्तासां तस्मात्त्वं गन्तुमर्हसि

Transliteration

prāyaścittaṃ budhairuktaṃ vratināṃ strīvadhe kṛte | na saṃgāttu punastāsāṃ tasmāttvaṃ gantumarhasi

Translation

บัณฑิตทั้งหลายกล่าวไว้ว่า: สำหรับผู้ถือวรตะ แม้เกิดการฆ่าสตรีก็ยังมีปรायัศจิตตะ (การชดใช้บาป) แต่สำหรับการคบหาสมาคมกับพวกนางอีกนั้น ไม่มีทางแก้; เพราะฉะนั้นเจ้าจงจากไปเถิด

Word by Word

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• उक्तम्: prescribed/said
• उक्तम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (प्रायश्चित्तम्) विशेषण

• व्रतिनाम्: of vow-keepers
• व्रतिनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vratin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्त्रीवधे: in the killing of a woman
• स्त्रीवधे: Adhikarana (Location/Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्त्रियाः वधः)

• कृते: when (it is) done
• कृते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुं/नपुंस, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (स्त्रीवधे) सति—'when done'

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation)

• संगात्: from association
• संगात्: Apadana (Source/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Particle (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle: 'indeed/but')

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• तासाम्: of those women/them
• तासाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययप्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: 'therefore/from that')

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गन्तुम्: to go
• गन्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; गमनक्रिया-उद्देश्य (to go)

• अर्हसि: are fit/ought
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment: the sage explains that expiation exists for a transgression, but warns that continued association is the real danger; the listener is directed to leave.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Some faults admit prāyaścitta, but repeated entanglement that destroys restraint is warned against as far harder to remedy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of a didactic exchange inside the Tīrthamāhātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta is referenced generally, alongside a strong behavioral prescription: avoid renewed association that endangers vows.