Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 149

Devanagari script

कन्योवाच । संसारांतः प्रसुप्तस्य कीटस्यापि प्ररोचते । स्त्रीशरीरं नरस्यात्र किं पुनर्न विवेकिनः

Transliteration

kanyovāca | saṃsārāṃtaḥ prasuptasya kīṭasyāpi prarocate | strīśarīraṃ narasyātra kiṃ punarna vivekinaḥ

Translation

কন্যাই ক’লে: সংসাৰৰ কাদাত নিদ্ৰামগ্ন কীৰ্ত্তিও কিবা মনোহৰ বুলি ভাবে। এই জগতত স্ত্ৰীৰ দেহ নৰকো ৰুচে—তেনে হ’লে বিবেকহীনৰ কথা কিমান অধিক!

Word by Word

• कन्या: the maiden
• कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• संसार-अन्तः: within saṃsāra
• संसार-अन्तः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (संसारस्य अन्तः = within the world/saṃsāra)

• प्रसुप्तस्य: of (one) asleep
• प्रसुप्तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रसुप्त (कृदन्त; प्र-स्वप्-क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• कीटस्य: of an insect/worm
• कीटस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपवाद-अव्यय (also/even)

• प्ररोचते: appears pleasing
• प्ररोचते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; प्र-उपसर्ग

• स्त्रीशरीरम्: a woman's body
• स्त्रीशरीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (स्त्रियाः शरीरम्)

• नरस्य: of a man
• नरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here)

• किम्: what then
• किम्: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle: what/why)

• पुनः: moreover
• पुनः: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति/विशेषण-अव्यय (again; moreover)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• विवेकिनः: of one lacking discernment (non-discriminating)
• विवेकिनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवेकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; -इन्-प्रत्ययान्त

Speaker

Kanyā (the maiden/daughter)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A maiden speaks with sharp clarity to a sage or assembly; in a symbolic vignette, a worm in mud is shown as an allegory of saṃsāric complacency.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Desire arises easily in saṃsāra; therefore one should cultivate viveka (discernment) to avoid being led by mere attraction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse occurs within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya setting, but this specific line is a moral reflection rather than direct praise of a named tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed in this verse.