Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

न तत्क्रतुसहस्रेण यजंतः प्राप्नुयुः फलम् । पतिव्रतात्वमापन्ना यत्स्त्री विंदति केवलम्

Transliteration

na tatkratusahasreṇa yajaṃtaḥ prāpnuyuḥ phalam | pativratātvamāpannā yatstrī viṃdati kevalam

Translation

جو پھل ایک عورت صرف پتی ورتا دھرم (شوہر سے وفاداری کے ورت) میں داخل ہو کر پاتی ہے، وہ مرد ہزار یَجْن کرنے سے بھی حاصل نہیں کر سکتے۔

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध-निपात; negation

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण ‘that (result)’ (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण)

• क्रतुसहस्रेण: by a thousand sacrifices
• क्रतुसहस्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘क्रतूनां सहस्रम्’; करण ‘by a thousand sacrifices’

• यजन्तः: (those) performing sacrifice
• यजन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; ‘sacrificing/performing worship’

• प्राप्नुयुः: would obtain
• प्राप्नुयुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आशीः), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘they would obtain’

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कर्म

• पतिव्रतात्वम्: the state of being a devoted wife
• पतिव्रतात्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतिव्रता + त्व (प्रातिपदिक + तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (त्व) ‘state of being a devoted wife’

• आपन्ना: having attained
• आपन्ना: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+पद् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ‘having attained/entered’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘which (thing)’

• स्त्री: a woman
• स्त्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्ता

• विन्दति: obtains
• विन्दति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘finds/obtains’

• केवलम्: only
• केवलम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोगः ‘only/solely’

Speaker

Unspecified (context: dialogue within Tīrthamāhātmya narrative)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: The addressed woman (pativratā figure) and the assembly (devas/participants)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous pativratā woman stands calm and radiant; behind her, symbolic imagery contrasts a grand thousand-yajña panorama fading into the background, while her single vow shines brighter, suggesting superior fruit.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Single-minded dharma, especially pativratā-vrata, is praised as a direct and extraordinary source of puṇya surpassing many external rituals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya (general sacred-place glorification); this line itself emphasizes vrata-mahattva rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña (sacrificial rites) is referenced for comparison, while the implied prescription is steadfast observance of pativratā-dharma (a vow-based discipline).