Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

दिनेदिने वर्धमाना बंधुभिर्लालिता भृशम् । सा शनैर्यौवनं भेजे स्मरस्येव महाधनुः

Transliteration

dinedine vardhamānā baṃdhubhirlālitā bhṛśam | sā śanairyauvanaṃ bheje smarasyeva mahādhanuḥ

Translation

Day by day she grew, greatly cherished by her kinsfolk; and gradually she entered youth—like the mighty bow of Smara (Kāma) being strung for its work.

Word by Word

• दिने: in a day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे (locative used adverbially)

• दिने: day by day
• दिने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (dine dine = day by day)

• वर्धमाना: growing, increasing
• वर्धमाना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृध् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying सा)

• बंधुभिः: by (her) relatives
• बंधुभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बंधु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• लालिता: cherished, caressed
• लालिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लल् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying सा)

• भृशम्: greatly, exceedingly
• भृशम्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भृशम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

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

• शनैः: gradually, slowly
• शनैः: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शनैः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• यौवनम्: youth
• यौवनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• भेजे: attained, entered
• भेजे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• स्मरस्य: of Kāma (Cupid)
• स्मरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• इव: like, as
• इव: Visheshana (Comparative particle/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-वाचक अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• महाधनुः: the great bow
• महाधनुः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महच्च तत् धनुः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (context not specified in snippet; likely Purāṇic narrator such as Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A maiden growing day by day, lovingly attended by relatives; metaphorical presence of Smara’s great bow being strung—suggested through subtle iconographic cues (flower-bow, bees, spring motifs).

Characters & Entities

• Smara (Kāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Youth naturally awakens desire; dharma requires awareness and restraint before passion becomes a driving force.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it is narrative setup rather than sthala-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes a life-stage transition (entering youth).