Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

दक्षिणोन्नत वक्षोजा पुत्रिणी त्वग्रणीर्मता । वामोन्नतकुचा सूते कन्यां सौभाग्यसुंदरीम्

Transliteration

dakṣiṇonnata vakṣojā putriṇī tvagraṇīrmatā | vāmonnatakucā sūte kanyāṃ saubhāgyasuṃdarīm

Translation

A woman whose right breast is higher is regarded as a foremost mother of sons; but one whose left breast is higher gives birth to a daughter—beautiful and endowed with good fortune.

Word by Word

• dakṣiṇonnata: right-raised
• dakṣiṇonnata: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + unnata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (दक्षिणः उन्नतः)

• vakṣojā: (woman) with breasts on the chest; bosomed woman
• vakṣojā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vakṣas (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वक्षसि जाता)

• putriṇī: having a son/children
• putriṇī: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: putrin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपातः (but/indeed)

• agraṇīḥ: leader, foremost woman
• agraṇīḥ: Karta (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agraṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (ईकारान्त-प्रातिपदिक)

• matā: considered, regarded
• matā: Predicate (state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: man (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) ‘मन्ता/मता’ = ‘considered’

• vāmonnata: left-raised
• vāmonnata: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāma (प्रातिपदिक) + unnata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (वामः उन्नतः)

• kucā: (woman) with breasts
• kucā: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (आकारान्त)

• sūte: gives birth to
• sūte: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sū (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• kanyām: a daughter
• kanyām: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• saubhāgyasuṃdarīm: beautiful with good fortune
• saubhāgyasuṃdarīm: Viśeṣaṇa (of kanyām)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saubhāgya (प्रातिपदिक) + sundarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (सौभाग्येन सुन्दरी)

Speaker

Skanda

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A domestic scene suggested through symbols: a couple receiving counsel from a sage in Kāśī; background shows a shrine lamp and distant ghat, indicating that even household life is lived under Kāśī’s sacred gaze.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It reflects traditional predictive symbolism about offspring, presented as part of dharma-style lakṣaṇa teaching.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it sits within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa compilation.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.