Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

प्राप्यतेत्र कुमारीभिर्गुणशीलाद्यलंकृतः । गुर्विणीभिः सुतनयो वंध्याभिगर्भसंभवः

Transliteration

prāpyatetra kumārībhirguṇaśīlādyalaṃkṛtaḥ | gurviṇībhiḥ sutanayo vaṃdhyābhigarbhasaṃbhavaḥ

Translation

Hier erlangen Jungfrauen einen würdigen Gatten, geschmückt mit Tugenden und guter Lebensführung; Schwangere erlangen einen edlen Sohn; und selbst Unfruchtbare empfangen den Segen der Empfängnis.

Word by Word

• प्राप्यते: is obtained
• प्राप्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + √āp (आप् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

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

• कुमारीभिः: by maidens/virgins
• कुमारीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• गुणशीलादि-अलंकृतः: adorned with virtues and good conduct etc.
• गुणशीलादि-अलंकृतः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa + śīla + ādi + alaṃkṛta (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गुण-शील-आदि-भिः अलंकृतः’ (adorned with virtues, good conduct, etc.)

• गुर्विणीभिः: by pregnant women
• गुर्विणीभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gurviṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘गर्भिणी’ अर्थे (pregnant women)

• सुतनयः: a son (good offspring)
• सुतनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta + naya (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सुतः एव नयः/नयः’ इति (intended: ‘good son’; reading suggests ‘sutanaya’ = son)

• वंध्याभिः: by barren women
• वंध्याभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vandhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गर्भसंभवः: conception/pregnancy leading to birth
• गर्भसंभवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha + saṃbhava (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गर्भात् संभवः’ (birth from pregnancy)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśālākṣī-sthāna (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Women devotees—maidens, pregnant women, and those yearning for conception—offer prayers at Viśālākṣī’s shrine; the goddess’s gaze is protective and boon-giving.

Characters & Entities

• Viśālākṣī (implied)
• Kāśī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The goddess’s grace is portrayed as compassionate and practical—supporting dharmic household life while guiding devotees toward higher good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Viśālākṣī sphere in Kāśī, where worship is said to grant auspicious life-blessings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Not a specific rite here; it is a phalaśruti stating the boons gained through devotion/worship at this sacred seat.