Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

स्त्रीधनान्युपजीवंति स्त्रीभिरत्यंतनिर्जिताः । अरक्षणं च नारीणां मद्यपस्त्रीनिषेवणम्

Transliteration

strīdhanānyupajīvaṃti strībhiratyaṃtanirjitāḥ | arakṣaṇaṃ ca nārīṇāṃ madyapastrīniṣevaṇam

Translation

依靠女子之财而活，因失去自制而被女子彻底制伏，不护持妇女，饮用醉人之酒，并以欲念与女子厮混——此等皆为可诃责之行。

Word by Word

• स्त्री: women
• स्त्री: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; 'women'

• धनानि: wealth, property
• धनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Plural)

• उपजीवन्ति: they live on, subsist on
• उपजीवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जीव् (धातु) उप + जीव्
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद (Present Indicative, 3rd person plural, Parasmaipada)

• स्त्रीभिः: by women
• स्त्रीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)

• अत्यन्त: excessively
• अत्यन्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्यन्त (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: extremely)

• निर्जिताः: conquered, subdued
• निर्जिताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जि (धातु) नि + जि; निर्जित (कृदन्त-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Masculine, Nominative, Plural; past passive participle)

• अरक्षणम्: non-protection, neglect of protection
• अरक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरक्षण (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + रक्षण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• नारीणाम्: of women
• नारीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (Feminine, Genitive, Plural)

• मद्यप: wine-drinking
• मद्यप: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद्यप (प्रातिपदिक; मद्य + प)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक; 'wine-drinking'

• स्त्री: women
• स्त्री: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (समासपूर्वपद) स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिक; 'women'

• निषेवणम्: consorting with, indulgence in
• निषेवणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निषेवण (प्रातिपदिक; √सेव् (धातु) नि + सेव् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; act of resorting/consorting)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara Khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder at a crossroads: one path shows intoxication and disorder; the other shows sobriety, protection of women, and disciplined worship before a Śiva shrine. A guardian-like figure symbolizes rakṣaṇa and maryādā.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma demands self-restraint, responsible livelihood, and protective duty; intoxication and moral negligence are condemned.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is ethical instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it lists censured behaviors, notably madyapāna (drinking liquor).