Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

वेश्योवाच । दिनत्रयमहोरात्रं पत्नी भूत्वा तव प्रभो । सहधर्मं चरामीति सा तद्धृदयमस्पृशत्

Transliteration

veśyovāca | dinatrayamahorātraṃ patnī bhūtvā tava prabho | sahadharmaṃ carāmīti sā taddhṛdayamaspṛśat

Translation

The courtesan said: “For three days and nights, O lord, becoming your wife, I shall live in shared dharma with you.” Saying so, she touched his heart.

Word by Word

• वेश्या: the courtesan
• वेश्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेश्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• दिनत्रयम्: for three days
• दिनत्रयम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कालपरिमाणार्थे; (दिनानां त्रयम्)

• अहोरात्रम्: day and night (a full day)
• अहोरात्रम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (अहः च रात्रिः च)

• पत्नी: as a wife
• पत्नी: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्तृसमानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तृसमानाधिकरण (भूत्वा इति सह)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• सहधर्मम्: conjugal duty, shared dharma
• सहधर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सह + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सह धर्मः)

• चरामि: I practice/perform
• चरामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसूचक

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्: that (his)
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (हृदयम्)

• हृदयम्: heart
• हृदयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अस्पृशत्: touched
• अस्पृशत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Veśyā (courtesan)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The courtesan verbally accepts: for three days and nights she will be his wife and practice shared dharma; she seals it by touching his heart.

Characters & Entities

• Veśyā
• Vaiśya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even time-bound commitments invoke dharma; spoken truth becomes an ethical bond that must be honored.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse; the focus is on vow and conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it completes an oath through declaration and a confirming touch to the heart.