Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

पतिव्रतधृता नार्यो बलेन बलिना धृताः । भर्तबुद्ध्यारमंतेतं कदाचित्ता इमा द्विज

Transliteration

pativratadhṛtā nāryo balena balinā dhṛtāḥ | bhartabuddhyāramaṃtetaṃ kadācittā imā dvija

Translation

شوہر سے وفاداری میں ثابت قدم خواتین کو طاقت کے زور پر روکا جاتا ہے؛ اور اے ڈویج، کبھی کبھی وہ اسے اپنا شوہر سمجھ کر اس سے لطف اندوز ہوتی ہیں۔

Word by Word

• पतिव्रतधृताः: upheld by wifely fidelity
• पतिव्रतधृताः: Karta (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक) + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + धृत (कृदन्त, धृ धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (पतिव्रतेन धृताः = upheld/maintained by fidelity to husband); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नार्यः: women
• नार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• बलेन: by force
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• बलिना: by a strong (man)
• बलिना: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (by the strong one)

• धृताः: held/kept
• धृताः: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्मणि-प्रयोगे)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (held/kept)

• भर्तृ: husband
• भर्तृ: Samasa-purvapada (Compound member/समासपूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक used in compound

• बुद्ध्या: with the idea
• बुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; (with the notion/understanding)

• भर्तबुद्ध्या: with (him) as husband in mind
• भर्तबुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भर्तुः बुद्ध्या = with the notion of (him as) husband); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• आरमन्ते: they delight
• आरमन्ते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: रम् (to delight) with उपसर्ग आ

• इतम्: this (man/one)
• इतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this one/this)

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक (sometimes)

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

• इमाः: these
• इमाः: Karta (Apposition/समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• द्विज: O Brahmin
• द्विज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pativratā woman shown with symbols of fidelity (mangala-sūtra/sindūra in later iconography; here as modest attire and vow-gesture), while an unseen powerful force binds her; her gaze shows conflicted devotion as she momentarily regards another as ‘bhartā’.

Characters & Entities

• Pativrata
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic dharma portrays fidelity (pativrata) as a potent force, yet also acknowledges overpowering influences that can sway perception and conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to Kāśī-khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative environment, though the verse itself is ethical/narrative rather than topographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed; it describes a state of mind and compulsion linked to dharma and force (bala).