Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 107

Devanagari script

पत्नीसरूपतां कृत्वा कामयामास पावकम् । दिव्यं रूपमरूंधत्याः कर्तुं न शकितं तया

Transliteration

patnīsarūpatāṃ kṛtvā kāmayāmāsa pāvakam | divyaṃ rūpamarūṃdhatyāḥ kartuṃ na śakitaṃ tayā

Translation

Indem sie die Gestalt einer Ehefrau annahm, begehrte sie in Verlangen Pāvaka (Agni); doch vermochte sie sich nicht die göttliche Form der Arundhatī zu erschaffen.

Word by Word

• पत्नीसरूपताम्: the state of resembling a wife
• पत्नीसरूपताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी + सरूपता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (पत्नी-सरूपता = पत्नीवत् सरूपता/पत्नी-सदृशता)

• कृत्वा: having made/assuming
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• कामयामास: she desired
• कामयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम्/काम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (desiderative sense: to desire)

• पावकम्: Agni (fire)
• पावकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पावक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अरूंधत्याः: of Arundhatī
• अरूंधत्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुन्धती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कर्तुम्: to make
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), कर्मार्थक/उद्देश्य (purpose)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• शकितम्: was possible / was able
• शकितम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगः

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A figure adopts the semblance of a devoted wife and approaches Agni (Pāvaka) with longing; beside this, an implied contrast: the serene, unmatchable divine aura of Arundhatī that cannot be replicated by mere appearance.

Characters & Entities

• Pāvaka (Agni)
• Arundhatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer disguise cannot replicate inner virtue; Arundhatī symbolizes steadfast dharma that cannot be imitated by mere appearance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is ethical-symbolic within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it contrasts desire-driven action with the ideal of pativratā-dharma.