Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

यज्ञस्थायर्त्विजे दैवस्तज्जःपाति चतुर्दश । वरादादाय गोद्वंद्वमार्षस्तज्जः पुनाति षट्

Transliteration

yajñasthāyartvije daivastajjaḥpāti caturdaśa | varādādāya godvaṃdvamārṣastajjaḥ punāti ṣaṭ

Translation

天神式（Daiva）婚，是将新娘交与在祭祀（yajña）中执事的祭官；由此所生之子护持十四代。仙圣式（Ārṣa）婚，是从新郎处受取一对母牛；由此所生之子净化六代。

Word by Word

• यज्ञस्थाय: to the one stationed at the sacrifice
• यज्ञस्थाय: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यज्ञस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (locative determinative: ‘in the sacrifice’); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative), एकवचन; विशेषण (to ऋत्विजे)

• ऋत्विजे: to the officiating priest
• ऋत्विजे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दैवः: the Daiva (marriage)
• दैवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विवाह-प्रकार-नाम

• तज्जः: the one born from that (union)
• तज्जः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘born of that’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पाति: protects/saves
• पाति: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• चतुर्दश: fourteen (persons)
• चतुर्दश: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound: ‘fourteen’); अव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण (used as numeral)

• वरात्: from the bridegroom
• वरात्: Apādāna (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ-दा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund), ‘having taken’

• गोद्वन्द्वम्: a pair of cows
• गोद्वन्द्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + द्वन्द्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘a pair of cows’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आर्षः: the Ārṣa (marriage)
• आर्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विवाह-प्रकार-नाम

• तज्जः: the offspring thereof
• तज्जः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुनाति: purifies
• पुनाति: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• षट्: six (persons)
• षट्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-शब्द; (प्रायः अव्ययवत्) द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे संख्या-विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (continuing from 38.1)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two vignettes: (1) Daiva marriage—bride offered to a yajña-officiating priest near a sacrificial altar; (2) Ārṣa marriage—pair of cows presented as symbolic consideration; elders witness the exchange with restraint.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Marriage aligned with sacrificial duty and restrained exchange is framed as dharmic, producing protective and purifying merit for lineage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is dharma classification within Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Giving the bride to an officiating priest in a yajña (Daiva), and the taking/acceptance of a pair of cows (Ārṣa) are described as defining features.