Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

अन्याः परस्परालाप प्रकुर्वंति वरस्त्रियः । एका सा कामिनी धन्या यास्य चक्रेवगूहनम्

Transliteration

anyāḥ parasparālāpa prakurvaṃti varastriyaḥ | ekā sā kāminī dhanyā yāsya cakrevagūhanam

Translation

Andere edle Frauen begannen miteinander zu sprechen; doch eine glückselige, von Liebe ergriffene Frau tat, als wolle sie ihn umarmen.

Word by Word

• अन्याः: other (women)
• अन्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• परस्परालापम्: mutual talk/conversation
• परस्परालापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paraspara (प्रातिपदिक) + ālāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रकुर्वन्ति: they do/engage in
• प्रकुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वरस्त्रियः: excellent women
• वरस्त्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक) + strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एका: one (woman)
• एका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• कामिनी: a beloved/young woman
• कामिनी: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• धन्या: fortunate/blessed
• धन्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifying ekā/kāminī)

• या: who
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• अस्य: of him/this (man)
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• चक्रेवगूहनम्: a hiding/embrace as if (in) a wheel/circle
• चक्रेवगूहनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक) + iva (अव्यय) + gūhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभाव-समास ("चक्रम् इव" + गूहनम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A group of noblewomen whisper and converse, glancing toward the radiant youth; one woman steps forward with arms slightly extended, as if to embrace, singled out as ‘dhanyā’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It contrasts mere talk with impulsive action, implying the dhārmic need to govern desire through discernment and discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it is part of a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter of Nāgarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.