Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

सुखस्पर्शं भुजाभ्यां सा शोकवल्लीव लिंगिता । तवालिंगनभावेन पुनरेव भविष्यति

Transliteration

sukhasparśaṃ bhujābhyāṃ sā śokavallīva liṃgitā | tavāliṃganabhāvena punareva bhaviṣyati

Translation

Von ihren Armen umschlungen, durch eine Berührung, die Trost schenkte, klammerte sie sich wie eine Ranke des Kummers. Doch durch die Kraft deiner Umarmung wird sie wieder sie selbst werden.

Word by Word

• सुखस्पर्शम्: pleasant touch
• सुखस्पर्शम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख + स्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सुखस्य स्पर्शः)

• भुजाभ्याम्: with (her) two arms
• भुजाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), द्विवचन

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शोकवल्ली: a creeper of sorrow
• शोकवल्ली: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक + वल्ली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपमानार्थे (इव-सहित)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• लिङ्गिता: (was) embraced
• लिङ्गिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लिङ्ग् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘आलिङ्गिता/लिङ्गिता’ = embraced

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

• आलिङ्गनभावेन: by/through the state of embracing
• आलिङ्गनभावेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ + लिङ्ग् (धातु) → आलिङ्गन (प्रातिपदिक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आलिङ्गनस्य भावः)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• भविष्यति: will become / will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (भविष्यत्काल), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa conveying the Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Citraśālā (as a sacred locus within the episode)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Rājā (O King) is addressed in the surrounding narration

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sorrow-stricken woman clings like a creeper, her embrace both grief-laden and seeking comfort; the moment hints at impending restoration through a powerful embrace.

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vṛndādevī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine refuge is not only protection but restoration—contact with the sacred heals grief and re-establishes inner steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the hermitage-centered tīrtha narrative of Nāgarakhaṇḍa, where the sacred presence grants protection and renewal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is the transformative grace associated with seeking refuge.