Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 85
Devanagari script
शुश्रूषानिरतो भूत्वा येन प्राप्नोमि भामिनीम्
Transliteration
śuśrūṣānirato bhūtvā yena prāpnomi bhāminīm
Translation
Indem ich mich eifrig dem Beistand und Dienst widme, kann ich auf diese Weise jene leidenschaftliche Frau erlangen.
Word by Word
śuśrūṣānirataḥdevoted to service
śuśrūṣānirataḥ:
Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootśuśrūṣā + nirata (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: “śuśrūṣāyām nirataḥ” (engaged in service); nirata = क्त (from ni-ram) used adjectivally
bhūtvāhaving become
bhūtvā:
Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbhū (धातु) → bhūtvā (कृदन्त)
Formक्त्वा (absolutive/gerund) = “having become”
yenaby which (means)
yena:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसक (सर्वनाम), तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; साधन/उपायवाचक = “by which/through which means”
prāpnomiI obtain/reach
prāpnomi:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-āp (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: प्राप् (to obtain/reach)
bhāminīmthe passionate/beautiful woman
bhāminīm:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbhāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
Speaker
An unnamed narrator (continuing the intent) within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A novice-like attendant stands respectfully near a seated sage, offering water and fanning gently; the attendant’s gaze hints at hidden longing.
Characters & Entities
B
Bhāminī (epithet for the woman)FAQs
Service becomes spiritually fruitful only when it is sincere; using it as a tool for desire is a dharmic failing.
None directly; the verse continues a character-driven episode within a sacred-region narrative.
No formal ritual; it references śuśrūṣā (attentive service), a valued discipline when practiced with purity.