Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

एतत्संचिंत्य बहुधा निमील्य नयने ततः । अप्रजल्प्य वरारोहां तामहं चात्र संस्थितः

Transliteration

etatsaṃciṃtya bahudhā nimīlya nayane tataḥ | aprajalpya varārohāṃ tāmahaṃ cātra saṃsthitaḥ

Translation

So dachte ich immer wieder darüber nach und schloss dann die Augen. Ohne zu jener Frau mit den schönen Schenkeln ein Wort zu sprechen, blieb ich dort stehen.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संचिन्त्य: having reflected
• संचिन्त्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle)

• बहुधा: in many ways; repeatedly
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• निमील्य: having closed
• निमील्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मील् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव

• नयने: the two eyes
• नयने: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); द्विवचन

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'then/from there')

• अप्रजल्प्य: without speaking; having not spoken
• अप्रजल्प्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ + प्र + जल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); नञ्-निषेध (negative)

• वरारोहाम्: the beautiful woman
• वरारोहाम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-आरोहा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वरः आरोहा = 'excellent/beautiful woman')

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• संस्थितः: stood; remained
• संस्थितः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (as recalled/reported within Pulastya’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ascetic stands motionless with eyes closed, hands composed (japa or añjali), while the woman remains unaddressed; the moment is charged yet quiet.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Control of sight and speech—closing the eyes and maintaining silence—serves as a practical safeguard for spiritual discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated within Arbuda Khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative frame; it does not name a specific tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it highlights personal niyamas such as mauna (silence) and sensory restraint.