Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

वलिभिः पूर्णितांगी च शीर्णदंता कुचच्युता । अमनोज्ञा विरूपांगी चिपिटाक्षी द्विजोत्तमाः

Transliteration

valibhiḥ pūrṇitāṃgī ca śīrṇadaṃtā kucacyutā | amanojñā virūpāṃgī cipiṭākṣī dvijottamāḥ

Translation

Ihre Glieder waren von Falten erfüllt; ihre Zähne zerbrachen, ihre Brüste sanken herab. Unansehnlich wurde sie, entstellt am Leib und mit flachen Augen — o Bester der Zweimalgeborenen.

Word by Word

• वलिभिः: with wrinkles
• वलिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/3rd case), बहुवचन — Instrumental plural

• पूर्णित-अङ्गी: having limbs filled (with wrinkles)
• पूर्णित-अङ्गी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्णित (कृदन्त; √पॄ/पूर् धातु) + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Nominative singular; कृदन्त-विशेषण (past passive participle sense)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय — conjunction

• शीर्ण-दन्ता: with decayed/broken teeth
• शीर्ण-दन्ता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीर्ण (कृदन्त; √शॄ/शीर्ण धातु) + दन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; कृदन्त-विशेषण

• कुच-च्युता: with sagging breasts
• कुच-च्युता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुच (प्रातिपदिक) + च्युता (कृदन्त; √च्युत् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुचानां च्युता)

• अ-मनोज्ञा: unpleasant, not charming
• अ-मनोज्ञा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + अ- (निषेध-उपसर्ग)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular; नञ्-समासभाव (negated adjective)

• विरूप-अङ्गी: ugly-limbed, deformed-bodied
• विरूप-अङ्गी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• चिपिट-अक्षी: flat-eyed
• चिपिट-अक्षी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिपिट (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative singular

• द्विज-उत्तमाः: the best of the twice-born (Brahmins)
• द्विज-उत्तमाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative plural; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुषार्थ (द्विजानाम् उत्तमाः)

Speaker

Narrator (addressing a brāhmaṇa/sage; specific speaker not explicit in this snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged, transformed woman stands with visible wrinkles and fallen features; the onlookers (dvijas) react with grave recognition of time’s power.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa (dvijottama)
• maiden/daughter

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The body’s beauty is temporary; recognizing decay fosters detachment and a turn toward lasting dharma and spiritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it serves the moral-emotional build-up within the Mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.