Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा तद्वीरचरितं वीरैरन्यैः सुदुष्करम् । ददौ मदनलेखाख्यां सुतां तस्मै महीपतिः

Transliteration

jñātvā tadvīracaritaṃ vīrairanyaiḥ suduṣkaram | dadau madanalekhākhyāṃ sutāṃ tasmai mahīpatiḥ

Translation

Als der König jene Heldentat erkannte, die selbst für andere Helden äußerst schwer ist, gab er ihm seine Tochter namens Madanalekhā zur Frau.

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having known’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘that’ (referring to the deed)

• वीरचरितम्: heroic deed/act
• वीरचरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर + चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: वीरस्य चरितम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वीरैः: by heroes
• वीरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अन्यैः: other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘other’ (qualifying वीरैः)

• सुदुष्करम्: very difficult
• सुदुष्करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास: सु(अत्यन्तम्) + दुष्करम्

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मदनलेखाख्याम्: named Madanalekhā
• मदनलेखाख्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदनलेखा + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास: मदनलेखा-आख्या (नामधेय-विशेषण, ‘named Madanalekhā’)

• सुताम्: daughter
• सुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• महीपतिः: the king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समास: मह्याः पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic storyteller; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, impressed by the deed, ceremonially offers his daughter Madanalekhā to Aśokadatta, with courtiers witnessing the honor.

Characters & Entities

• Aśokadatta
• the king (mahīpati)
• Madanlekhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma honors valor: when courage protects society, righteous rulers reward it to strengthen order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa (Setu Māhātmya) frame underlies the story; this verse focuses on royal recompense rather than a tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes a royal bestowal (marriage alliance) as recognition of merit.