Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

इति तेन समापृष्टा सा नारी बाष्पलोचना । व्याजहारात्मनोवृत्तं बाल्ये वैधव्यकारणम्

Transliteration

iti tena samāpṛṣṭā sā nārī bāṣpalocanā | vyājahārātmanovṛttaṃ bālye vaidhavyakāraṇam

Translation

Thus questioned by him, the woman—her eyes brimming with tears—recounted her own story, including the cause of her widowhood in childhood.

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha/Quotation marker (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• tena: by him
• tena: Karana (Instrument/Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• samāpṛṣṭā: having been questioned
• samāpṛṣṭā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prach (धातु) उपसर्ग-सम् + ā
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (सा नारी)

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• nārī: woman
• nārī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• bāṣpalocanā: tear-eyed
• bāṣpalocanā: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāṣpa + locanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः: बाष्पयुक्ते लोचने यस्याः; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (नारी)

• vyājahāra: told/uttered
• vyājahāra: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hṛ (धातु) उपसर्ग-वि + ā
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• ātmanaḥ: of herself
• ātmanaḥ: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• vṛttam: account/story
• vṛttam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vṛt)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used as noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• bālye: in childhood
• bālye: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• vaidhavyakāraṇam: the cause of widowhood
• vaidhavyakāraṇam: Karma (Object complement/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidhavya + kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी): वैधव्यस्य कारणम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; वṛत्तम्-विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

Speaker

Narrator (the woman speaks within the narrative, but her speech content begins here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The woman speaks with tear-filled eyes, recounting her life; the listener remains attentive; the child’s presence heightens poignancy and mystery.

Characters & Entities

• nārī (woman)
• vaidhavya (widowhood)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Suffering is to be voiced truthfully and heard with compassion; dharma includes acknowledging the burdens carried by others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gokarṇa remains the setting, framing personal sorrow within a sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it introduces a biographical explanation (nidāna) for her condition.