Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

नमामि चन्द्रभगिनीं सीतां सर्वांगसुंदरीम् । नमामि धर्मनिलयां करुणां वेदमातरम्

Transliteration

namāmi candrabhaginīṃ sītāṃ sarvāṃgasuṃdarīm | namāmi dharmanilayāṃ karuṇāṃ vedamātaram

Translation

Ich verneige mich vor Sītā, der Schwester des Mondes, schön an jedem Glied. Ich verneige mich vor ihr, der Wohnstatt des Dharma—dem Mitgefühl selbst, der Mutter der Veden.

Word by Word

• नमामि: I bow (to)
• नमामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• चन्द्रभगिनीम्: sister of the Moon
• चन्द्रभगिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र + भगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चन्द्रस्य भगिनी)

• सीताम्: Sītā
• सीताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरीम्: beautiful in every limb
• सर्वाङ्गसुन्दरीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अङ्ग + सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषु अङ्गेषु सुन्दरी)

• नमामि: I bow (to)
• नमामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• धर्मनिलयाम्: abode of dharma
• धर्मनिलयाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म + निलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य निलया)

• करुणाम्: compassion
• करुणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: करुणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वेदमातरम्: mother of the Vedas
• वेदमातरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदानाम् माता)

Speaker

Hanumān (within Sūta’s narration in Setukhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setubandha/Rāmeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrims/ṛṣis in frame

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sītā as moon-associated beauty, yet primarily as compassionate mother of the Vedas—she shelters devotees under a dharma-canopy; pilgrims approach with offerings; a soft lunar glow pervades.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Candra (Moon)
• Dharma
• Veda

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is rooted in compassion; the ideal divine presence embodies both beauty and moral order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setu-tīrtha (Rāmeśvaram/Setu Māhātmya narrative frame).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is devotional praise intended for remembrance and recitation.