Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

साहं तपश्चरिष्यामि कौमारव्रतधारिणी । नान्यं पतिं करिष्यामि निश्चयोऽयं मया कृतः

Transliteration

sāhaṃ tapaścariṣyāmi kaumāravratadhāriṇī | nānyaṃ patiṃ kariṣyāmi niścayo'yaṃ mayā kṛtaḥ

Translation

Darum will ich Askese üben und das Gelübde der Jungfrau bewahren. Keinen anderen Gatten werde ich annehmen — dies ist mein gefasster Entschluss.

Word by Word

• सा: she/I (that woman)
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहं: I
• अहं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चरिष्यामि: I will practice/perform
• चरिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कौमारव्रतधारिणी: one who observes the maidenhood vow
• कौमारव्रतधारिणी: Karta (Appositive/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौमार-व्रत-धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक); कौमार (adj) + व्रत (n) + धारिणी (धृ-धातु से)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कौमारस्य व्रतस्य धारिणी)

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• अन्यं: another
• अन्यं: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पतिं: husband
• पतिं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: I will make/accept
• करिष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निश्चयः: decision/resolve
• निश्चयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अयं: this
• अयं: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• कृतः: made/formed
• कृतः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Ratnāvatī (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Her parents/elders

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ratnāvatī declares she will perform austerities as a maiden-vow observer, refusing any other husband; her posture is firm, ascetic resolve shining through youthful form.

Characters & Entities

• Ratnāvatī
• Kaumāra-vrata

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Firm resolve (niścaya) and disciplined vrata are presented as spiritual power, especially when aligned with perceived dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha is not specified in this verse; it belongs to a broader Tīrthamāhātmya chapter context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The observance of a kaumāra-vrata (maiden’s vow) and the undertaking of tapas (austerities) are indicated.