Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 161

Devanagari script

एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु वचनं भार्गवो मुनिसत्तमः । ततस्तां गर्हयित्वासौ धिङ्नारी पुरुषायते

Transliteration

etacchrutvā tu vacanaṃ bhārgavo munisattamaḥ | tatastāṃ garhayitvāsau dhiṅnārī puruṣāyate

Translation

Als Bhārgava, der Beste der Weisen, diese Worte hörte, tadelte er sie: „Pfui! Eine Frau, die so handelt, benimmt sich wie ein Mann.“

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म) (object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘this’ qualifying the action heard

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), contrast/emphasis

• वचनम्: statement/words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of श्रुत्वा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• भार्गवः: Bhārgava (descendant of Bhṛgu)
• भार्गवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मुनिसत्तमः: the best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमः: Apposition (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (munīnām sattamaḥ = best of sages)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adverbial (काल/क्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘then/from there’

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गर्हयित्वा: having reproached
• गर्हयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गर्ह् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• असौ: he
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• धिङ्: shame! fie!
• धिङ्: Discourse/Exclamation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धिङ् (अव्यय)
• Form: निन्दार्थक निपात (interjection of censure)

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पुरुषायते: behaves like a man
• पुरुषायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरुषाय (धातु/नामधातु from पुरुष)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; denominative ‘acts like a man’

Speaker

Bhārgava (munisattama)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bhārgava, the eminent sage, hears the protest and sharply rebukes the woman, invoking gendered norms about arguing; the atmosphere tightens with authority.

Characters & Entities

• Bhārgava

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse reflects traditional authority and social norms within the narrative, setting up a dharmic conflict that later demands resolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is specified in this verse; it is part of the surrounding Tīrthamāhātmya story.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is dialogue and reprimand.