Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

विरूपो वा सुरूपो वा दरिद्रो वा धनाधिपः । स्त्रीणामेकः पतिर्भर्त्ता गतिर्नान्या जगत्त्रये

Transliteration

virūpo vā surūpo vā daridro vā dhanādhipaḥ | strīṇāmekaḥ patirbharttā gatirnānyā jagattraye

Translation

“ไม่ว่าเขาจะอัปลักษณ์หรือรูปงาม ยากจนหรือมั่งคั่ง สำหรับสตรีแล้ว สามีผู้เดียวคือผู้เป็นนายและที่พึ่ง—ในสามโลกไม่มีหนทางอื่น”

Word by Word

• विरूपः: ugly
• विरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of ‘पति/भर्ता’)

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Option (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• सुरूपः: handsome
• सुरूपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Option (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• दरिद्रः: poor
• दरिद्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दरिद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वा: or
• वा: Samuccaya/Option (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• धनाधिपः: a lord of wealth
• धनाधिपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘धनाधिप’ = धनस्य अधिपः (lord of wealth)

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• एकः: one (alone)
• एकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of ‘पति/भर्ता/गति’)

• पतिः: husband
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भर्ता: protector/lord (husband)
• भर्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• गतिः: refuge/goal
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अन्या: another
• अन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘गति’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• जगत्त्रये: in the three worlds
• जगत्त्रये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘जगत्त्रय’ = त्रयाणि जगन्ति (three worlds)

Speaker

Strī (pativratā wife)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpottama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The woman delivers a proverbial statement with calm certainty; contrasting portraits of husband as poor/rich, ugly/handsome are implied as symbolic vignettes behind her.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse asserts unwavering marital fidelity as a dharma-ideal, valuing commitment over worldly conditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in the verse; the teaching occurs within the Arbuda Khaṇḍa tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a normative dharma statement (ācāra-vākya) rather than a rite.