Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

जायंते ताश्च बंधक्यो विधवा दुर्भगास्तथा । कन्यादानफल प्राप्त्या तासां सौख्यं प्रजायते

Transliteration

jāyaṃte tāśca baṃdhakyo vidhavā durbhagāstathā | kanyādānaphala prāptyā tāsāṃ saukhyaṃ prajāyate

Translation

Sie werden als Frauen in Knechtschaft geboren, als Witwen und als Unglückliche. Doch durch das Erlangen der Frucht des Kanyādāna entsteht für sie Glück.

Word by Word

• jāyante: Are born
• jāyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Plural, Atmanepada

• tāḥ: They (those daughters)
• tāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

• bandhakyaḥ: Unchaste women / Harlots
• bandhakyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhakī (बन्धकी)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vidhavā: Widows
• vidhavā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhavā (विधवा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (Irregular Sandhi/Arsha usage)

• durbhagāḥ: Unfortunate / Wretched
• durbhagāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durbhagā (दुर्भागा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tathā: So / Also
• tathā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (तथा)
• Form: Adverb

• kanyādānaphalaprāptyā: By obtaining the fruit of giving a daughter
• kanyādānaphalaprāptyā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyādānaphalaprāpti (कन्यादानफलप्राप्ति)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• tāsām: Their (of those women)
• tāsām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• saukhyam: Happiness
• saukhyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saukhya (सौख्य)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• prajāyate: Arises / Is born
• prajāyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + jan (प्र + जन्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

Bhīṣma (contextual, continuing instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira in the Śrāddha-kalpa section)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three sorrowful feminine figures—bonded woman, widow, and an ill-fated woman—stand in muted tones; behind them a radiant kanyā-dāna scene unfolds, with blessings flowing like light, symbolizing merit transforming destiny.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karmic hardship can be alleviated through dharmic acts; here, kanyā-dāna is praised as a merit-bearing remedy that brings well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider passage belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya within the Nāgara-khaṇḍa, though this verse itself emphasizes dāna rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kanyā-dāna (the meritorious giving of a maiden in marriage) is presented as a dharmic act that yields happiness and relief.