Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

कुमारिकोवाच । करिष्यामि न संदेहस्तव वाक्यं द्विजाधिप । कुरु पाणिग्रहं मेऽद्य विधिदृष्टेन कर्मणा

Transliteration

kumārikovāca | kariṣyāmi na saṃdehastava vākyaṃ dvijādhipa | kuru pāṇigrahaṃ me'dya vidhidṛṣṭena karmaṇā

Translation

Das Mädchen sprach: «Ich werde dein Wort ohne Zweifel erfüllen, o Vornehmster der Brāhmaṇas. Vollziehe heute die Handergreifung für mich nach dem rituellen Tun, wie es die rechte Vorschrift lehrt.»

Word by Word

• कुमारिका: the maiden
• कुमारिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (nominative)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• करिष्यामि: I will do
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not / no
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• संदेहः: doubt
• संदेहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (nominative)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, षष्ठी (genitive)

• वाक्यम्: word, statement
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (accusative)

• द्विजाधिप: O lord of the twice-born (Brahmin chief)
• द्विजाधिप: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘द्विजानाम् अधिपः’); पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (vocative)

• कुरु: do
• कुरु: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पाणिग्रहम्: hand-taking (marriage rite)
• पाणिग्रहम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पाणेः ग्रहः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (accusative)

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-रूप (genitive/dative enclitic) — अत्र षष्ठी (my)

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• विधिदृष्टेन: as prescribed by rule
• विधिदृष्टेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ (‘विधिना दृष्टः’ = prescribed by rule); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (instrumental) — कर्मणा इति सह

• कर्मणा: by the rite/act
• कर्मणा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, तृतीया (instrumental)

Speaker

Kumārī (the maiden/bride)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maiden speaks with firm, respectful composure to the dvijādhipa, requesting immediate hand-taking according to proper ritual; attendants hold a kalasha and flower tray.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma begins with honoring right procedure—sacred vows and life-transitions should be performed according to prescribed rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it sets the dharmic foundation for the forthcoming tīrtha-yātrā narrative in the Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pāṇigrahaṇa—formal hand-taking in marriage—performed “vidhi-dṛṣṭa,” i.e., according to gṛhya/ritual injunction.