Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सोऽपि तां दयितां ज्ञात्वा सेवयामास कामिनीम् । रतोपचारैर्विविधैरश्रद्धेयविनिर्मितैः

Transliteration

so'pi tāṃ dayitāṃ jñātvā sevayāmāsa kāminīm | ratopacārairvividhairaśraddheyavinirmitaiḥ

Translation

وهو أيضاً، إذ ظنّها حبيبته، عاشر تلك المرأة في الحبّ—بشتى ضروب الملاطفات الشهوانية، مصنوعةً على نحوٍ يبعث على الدهشة ولا يكاد يُصدَّق.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• dayitām: beloved (woman)
• dayitām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dayitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मपद (as beloved woman)

• jñātvā: having recognized
• jñātvā: Kriya (Absolutive/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having known/recognized)

• sevayāmāsa: served/enjoyed
• sevayāmāsa: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sev (धातु) + लिट् (परस्मैपद)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• kāminīm: the amorous woman
• kāminīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ratopacāraiḥ: with acts/attentions of love
• ratopacāraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rati (प्रातिपदिक) + upacāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रतेः उपचारैः)

• vividhaiḥ: various
• vividhaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (उपचारैः)

• aśraddheya-vinirmitaiḥ: crafted in an unbelievable way
• aśraddheya-vinirmitaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-śraddheya (प्रातिपदिक) + vi-nirmita (nirmā (धातु) + kta)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (अश्रद्धेयैः विनिर्मितैः = made in an unbelievable manner); विशेषण (उपचारैः)

Speaker

Narrator (within Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya frame; specific speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The hero, deceived, engages in elaborate erotic attentions with the disguised woman; the scene is portrayed with psychological emphasis on illusion rather than explicitness.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Delusion and passion can eclipse discernment; dharma requires viveka (clear discrimination) and self-control.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No explicit tirtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.