Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अथ तं क्षुभितं ज्ञात्वा चित्तज्ञा सा वराप्सराः । निर्गत्य सलिलात्तस्माच्चक्रे वस्त्रपरिग्रहम्

Transliteration

atha taṃ kṣubhitaṃ jñātvā cittajñā sā varāpsarāḥ | nirgatya salilāttasmāccakre vastraparigraham

Translation

Dann, da jene edle Apsarā, kundig im Erkennen der Gedanken, merkte, dass er innerlich aufgewühlt war, stieg sie aus dem Wasser und nahm ihre Gewänder an sich.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/क्रमसूचक)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — ‘तम्’

• kṣubhitam: agitated
• kṣubhitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣubhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √kṣubh)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — भूतकृदन्त (क्त) = agitated

• jñātvā: having known
• jñātvā: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) — ‘ज्ञात्वा’ = having known

• cittajñā: mind-knowing
• cittajñā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: citta+jñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘चित्तज्ञा’ = knower of minds

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन — ‘सा’ = she

• varāpsarāḥ: the excellent apsaras
• varāpsarāḥ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara+apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (पाठभेदे बहुवचन-रूपं सम्भवति; अत्र कर्तरि एकवचनार्थः) — ‘वराप्सरा’ = excellent apsaras

• nirgatya: having come out
• nirgatya: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nir+gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) — ‘निर्गत्य’ = having come out

• salilāt: from the water
• salilāt: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: salila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन — ‘सलिलात्’ = from the water

• tasmāt: from there
• tasmāt: Apadana (Ablative source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंस, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन — ‘तस्मात्’ = from there/from that

• cakre: made/did
• cakre: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — ‘चक्रे’ = did/made

• vastraparigraham: the taking up of clothes
• vastraparigraham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra+parigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन — ‘वस्त्रपरिग्रहम्’ = taking/putting on of garments

Speaker

Narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant apsarā, perceiving the sage’s inner agitation, rises from the water; droplets cling to her form as she gathers her garments, poised between modesty and celestial splendor.

Characters & Entities

• Rambhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amid powerful emotions, dharma expresses itself as modesty and propriety—especially in sacred spaces associated with tīrthas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger passage belongs to Tīrthamāhātmya (glorification of sacred waters/places), but this verse itself does not name the tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription is given; the verse narrates conduct (ācāra) appropriate to a sacred setting.