Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

रूपेण वयसः चैव रतेरपि रतिंकरीम् । आंदोलकसुखासीनां सर्वाभरणभूषिताम्

Transliteration

rūpeṇa vayasaḥ caiva raterapi ratiṃkarīm | āṃdolakasukhāsīnāṃ sarvābharaṇabhūṣitām

Translation

Sie erschien betörend an Schönheit und Jugend, gleich einer Verkörperung, die Verlangen entfacht. Behaglich auf einer Schaukel sitzend, war sie mit jeglichem Schmuck geziert.

Word by Word

• rūpeṇa: by beauty/appearance
• rūpeṇa: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• vayasaḥ: of age/youth
• vayasaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vayas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed)

• rateḥ: of love/pleasure
• rateḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = also/even

• ratiṃkarīm: causing delight/pleasure
• ratiṃkarīm: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ratiṃkarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (qualifying ‘ताम्’ understood)

• āṃdolaka-sukha-āsīnām: seated comfortably on a swing
• āṃdolaka-sukha-āsīnām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āṃdolaka (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + āsīna (कृदन्त, √ās आस्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अधिकरण/कर्मधारय-भावः: ‘आंदोलके सुखेन आसीना’ = seated comfortably on a swing)

• sarva-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitām: adorned with all ornaments
• sarva-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitām: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (कृदन्त, √bhūṣ भूष्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘सर्वैः आभरणैः भूषिता’ = adorned with all ornaments)

Speaker

Narrator (context suggests Sūta’s narration within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A richly adorned young woman sits on a swing, surrounded by ornaments and soft textiles; her presence is portrayed as desire-inciting, with attendants and birds in the background.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer beauty and sensual attraction are powerfully depicted, setting the stage for later reflection on desire and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it functions as narrative description within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.