Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

नागकन्यां नागराजः पत्न्यर्थं ते प्रदास्यति । अनंगमोहिनीं नाम्ना वासुकिः शीलभूषणाम्

Transliteration

nāgakanyāṃ nāgarājaḥ patnyarthaṃ te pradāsyati | anaṃgamohinīṃ nāmnā vāsukiḥ śīlabhūṣaṇām

Translation

“নাগরাজ তোমাকে পত্নীরূপে এক নাগকন্যা দেবেন। বাসুকি ‘অনঙ্গমোহিনী’ নামে, শীল-গুণই যার অলংকার—এমন কন্যা তোমাকে প্রদান করবেন।”

Word by Word

• nāgakanyām: a nāga-maiden
• nāgakanyām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक) + kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नागस्य कन्या)

• nāgarājaḥ: the king of nāgas
• nāgarājaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक) + rāja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नागानां राजा)

• patnī-artham: for (your) wife (as spouse)
• patnī-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; प्रयोजनार्थक अव्यय (for the purpose of a wife)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया/चतुर्थी-एकवचनरूपम्; अत्र चतुर्थी (4th/Dative) एकवचन

• pradāsyati: will give
• pradāsyati: Kriya (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√dā (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• anaṃgamohinīm: Anaṅga-mohinī (name)
• anaṃgamohinīm: Karma (Apposition to nāgakanyām/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anaṃga (प्रातिपदिक) + mohinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अनङ्गस्य मोहिनी/अनङ्ग-मोहिनी)

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करणम्—‘नाम्ना’ = नामेन

• vāsukiḥ: Vāsuki
• vāsukiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsuki (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• śīlabhūṣaṇām: adorned with good conduct
• śīlabhūṣaṇām: Visheshana (Qualifier of nāgakanyām/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śīla (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (शीलं भूषणं यस्याः) विशेषणम्

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vāsuki, majestic serpent-king with jeweled hood, presents Anaṅgamohinī—radiant Nāga-maiden with subtle serpent motifs—before the king; attendants hold nāga-emblems and lotus garlands.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsuki
• Nāgarāja
• Anaṅgamohinī
• Ripuṃjaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-guided sovereignty is supported by cosmic alliances, and true beauty is praised as character (śīla).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kāśīkhaṇḍa context remains Kāśī; this verse focuses on a boon involving the Nāga realm rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it narrates a promised marital boon.