Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 102
Devanagari script
रक्षयेच्च सुतं माता नान्यः पोष्यविधानतः । तदा स वृद्धो भवति तदा भवति दुःखितः
Transliteration
rakṣayecca sutaṃ mātā nānyaḥ poṣyavidhānataḥ | tadā sa vṛddho bhavati tadā bhavati duḥkhitaḥ
Translation
唯有母亲依养育之法护持其子，旁人无可比拟。母若不在，那时他才真成“老”，忧苦亦随之而至。
Word by Word
rakṣayetshould protect
rakṣayet:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√rakṣ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; Optative 3rd sg
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)
sutamson
sutam:
Karman (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsuta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular
mātāmother
mātā:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular
nanot
na:
Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)
anyaḥanother (person)
anyaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular
poṣya-vidhānataḥaccording to the rule of nurturing
poṣya-vidhānataḥ:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpoṣya (कृदन्त; √puṣ + य) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तद्धित/अव्ययीभाव-प्रत्यय)
Formअव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) 'from/according to'; समासः—तत्पुरुष (पोष्यविधान = पोषणस्य विधानम् / पोष्यस्य विधानम्)
tadāthen
tadā:
Kāla (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottadā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular
vṛddhaḥold
vṛddhaḥ:
Karta-pratyaya (Subject complement/कर्तृपूरक)
TypeAdjective
Rootvṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective; Nominative singular
bhavatibecomes/is
bhavati:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; Present indicative 3rd sg
tadāthen
tadā:
Kāla (Time/काल)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottadā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण
bhavatibecomes/is
bhavati:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; Present indicative 3rd sg
duḥkhitaḥsorrowful
duḥkhitaḥ:
Karta-pratyaya (Subject complement/कर्तृपूरक)
TypeAdjective
Rootduḥkhita (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective; Nominative singular
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), contextually addressing the sages (deduced)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Mother stands between a child and unseen dangers, protective posture; in a second vignette, the grown son sits alone, head bowed, conveying the onset of ‘true old age’ after her departure.
FAQs
It teaches that the mother’s protection is irreplaceable, and her absence brings deep vulnerability and grief.
No specific site is praised in this verse.
No ritual is stated; it implies the dharma of recognizing and repaying maternal care.