Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

धेनूदराद्विनिष्क्रांता तज्जातेयं द्विजन्मनाम् । अस्याः पाणिग्रहं देव त्वं कुरुष्व मखाप्तये

Transliteration

dhenūdarādviniṣkrāṃtā tajjāteyaṃ dvijanmanām | asyāḥ pāṇigrahaṃ deva tvaṃ kuruṣva makhāptaye

Translation

Sie ist aus dem Leib einer Kuh hervorgegangen; darum gehört sie den Zweimalgeborenen. O Gott, vollziehe für sie den Handergreifungs-Ritus (die Ehe), damit das Opfer seine rechte Frucht erlange.

Word by Word

• धेनू-उदरात्: from the cow’s belly
• धेनू-उदरात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenū (प्रातिपदिक) + udara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; ‘धेनोः उदरात्’ = from the cow’s belly

• विनिष्क्रांता: has come forth
• विनिष्क्रांता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-niṣ-krānta (कृदन्त; √kram (क्रम्) + वि+निस्, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; ‘having come out/issued forth’

• तत्-जाता: born from that
• तत्-जाता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + jāta (कृदन्त; √jan (जन्) क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘तस्मात् जाता’ = born from that (source)

• इयम्: this (girl)
• इयम्: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• द्वि-जन्मनाम्: of the twice-born
• द्वि-जन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘द्वे जन्मनी येषाम्’ = of the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of her’

• पाणि-ग्रहम्: hand-taking (marriage)
• पाणि-ग्रहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक) + graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘पाणेः ग्रहः’ = taking the hand (marriage)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कुरुष्व: perform
• कुरुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘do/perform’

• मख-आप्तये: for attaining the sacrifice (ritual goal)
• मख-आप्तये: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: makha (प्रातिपदिक) + āpti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; ‘मखस्य आप्तये’ = for attainment of sacrifice (ritual fulfillment)

Speaker

Unspecified (addressing a deity, likely Brahmā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: the addressed deva ("dev")

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn handfasting scene: the deity/authority is requested to perform pāṇigrahaṇa; a sacred fire (yajña) is present, indicating the rite’s purpose; the maiden appears newly radiant after purification.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (implied)
• Cow (Dhenu)
• Dvijāti (twice-born)
• Yajña (Makha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual actions bear fruit when performed in dharmic order—purity, rightful status, and proper rites support yajña.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader passage is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya (place-glorification) in Nāgarakhaṇḍa; this verse itself focuses on ritual legitimacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pāṇigraha (marriage rite) is prescribed as necessary for the successful completion/fruit of a yajña (makha).