Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

अपि मृन्मयकं किंचित्काष्ठसूत्रमयं च वा । जतुकाचमयं वापि नारी धत्ते विभूषणम्

Transliteration

api mṛnmayakaṃ kiṃcitkāṣṭhasūtramayaṃ ca vā | jatukācamayaṃ vāpi nārī dhatte vibhūṣaṇam

Translation

Selbst wenn es nur ein kleines Schmuckstück aus Ton ist, oder aus Holz und Faden, oder gar aus Harz und Glas—eine Frau trägt es dennoch als Zierde.

Word by Word

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्भावना/समुच्चय (even/also)

• मृन्मयकम्: made of clay
• मृन्मयकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृद् + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मृन्मयम्)

• किंचित्: some/a little
• किंचित्: Kriya-vishesana/Quantifier
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय; अल्पपरिमाणवाचक (a little/some)

• काष्ठसूत्रमयम्: made of wooden thread/string
• काष्ठसूत्रमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काष्ठ + सूत्र + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (काष्ठसूत्रेण/काष्ठसूत्रात् मयम्)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• जतुकाचमयम्: made of lac and glass
• जतुकाचमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जतु + काच + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जतुकाचात् मयम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Disjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्प (or)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अतिशय (also/even)

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धत्ते: wears/puts on
• धत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्

• विभूषणम्: ornament
• विभूषणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator-embedded speech (continuing didactic point)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sequence-like depiction of simple ornaments—clay, wood-thread, resin, glass—being worn with pride, illustrating the mind’s power to confer value.

Characters & Entities

• Clay/wood/thread/resin/glass ornaments
• Women (nārī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment can cling even to modest objects; spiritual discipline examines the tendency of the mind to seek adornment and identity through externals.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No direct tīrtha praise appears; it continues the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra episode’s moral setup.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse catalogs materials to underscore the universality of ornament-desire.