Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

परदार परद्रव्य परद्रोहपराङ्मुखाः । जाताजातौ निकृष्टायामपिपुण्यानुसारिणः

Transliteration

paradāra paradravya paradrohaparāṅmukhāḥ | jātājātau nikṛṣṭāyāmapipuṇyānusāriṇaḥ

Translation

Họ ngoảnh mặt với vợ người, của cải người, và việc hại người. Dẫu sinh trong cảnh ngộ thấp hèn nhất, họ vẫn thuận theo con đường công đức.

Word by Word

• para: another’s
• para: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-आधार (compound member)

• dāra: another’s spouse
• dāra: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-आधार; ‘paradāra’ = another’s wife/wives (as object avoided)

• para: another’s
• para: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-आधार (compound member)

• dravya: another’s property
• dravya: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-आधार; ‘paradravya’ = another’s property

• para: another’s
• para: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-आधार (compound member)

• droha: harm, betrayal
• droha: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: droha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-आधार (compound member)

• parāṅmukhāḥ: turned away (from)
• parāṅmukhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāṅmukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (implied subject: te)

• jātā: born
• jātā: —
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jan (धातु) + jāta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-आधार (compound member)

• jātau: in (their) birth/caste
• jātau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘jātā-jātau’ = in a low birth (by birth)

• nikṛṣṭāyām: low, inferior
• nikṛṣṭāyām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् of jātau

• api: even
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; concessive ‘even’)

• puṇya: merit, virtue
• puṇya: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रातिपदिक-आधार (compound member)

• anusāriṇaḥ: following virtue
• anusāriṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-√sṛ (धातु) + anusārin (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); वर्तमानकृदन्त/नञ्-रहित (agentive) ‘following’; ‘puṇyānusārin’ = followers of virtue

Speaker

Gaṇas (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Saṃyaminī-purī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahābhāga interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three symbolic temptations presented to residents—an alluring figure (paradāra), a heap of coins/jewels (paradravya), and a vulnerable traveler (paradroha opportunity)—all refused; the residents stand calm, hands lowered, eyes steady.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Core dharma is ethical restraint—fidelity, non-stealing, and non-harm—making virtue possible in any circumstance of birth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it is a moral description of ideal conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual; it prescribes moral vows: avoidance of adultery, theft, and harming others.