Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

ततः किंचित्प्रमिलिते मेनानेत्रांबुजद्वये । आविवेशमुखं रात्रिर्ब्रह्मणो वचनात्तदा

Transliteration

tataḥ kiṃcitpramilite menānetrāṃbujadvaye | āviveśamukhaṃ rātrirbrahmaṇo vacanāttadā

Translation

Then, when Menā’s two lotus-eyes had slightly closed, Night entered her mouth at that time, in accordance with Brahmā’s command.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘thereupon/then’

• किंचित्: slightly, a little
• किंचित्: Vishesana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (परिमाण/अल्पता-बोधक) — ‘a little, somewhat’

• प्रमिलिते: (in/when) slightly closed
• प्रमिलिते: Adhikarana (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + मिल् (धातु) → प्रमिलित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे?; सप्तमी-द्विवचन (Locative dual) — ‘when (they) were closed’ (agreeing with नेत्राम्बुजद्वये)

• मेना: Menā
• मेना: Sambandha/Adhikarana (Possessor-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — proper noun

• नेत्राम्बुजद्वये: in the pair of lotus-eyes
• नेत्राम्बुजद्वये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नेत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), द्विवचन; समासः—नेत्राम्बुजयोः द्वयम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + द्वय) — ‘in the pair of lotus-like eyes’

• आविवेश: entered
• आविवेश: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + विश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्सभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — ‘entered’

• मुखम्: the face
• मुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — object of ‘entered’

• रात्रिः: night
• रात्रिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — subject of ‘entered’

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन — genitive ‘of Brahmā’

• वचनात्: by the command/word
• वचनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन — ‘from/according to the word’

• तदा: then, at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — ‘at that time’

Speaker

Sūta narrating (deduced).

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Menā rests as her lotus-eyes gently close; the personified Night (Rātri/Vibhāvarī) subtly enters her mouth, guided by Brahmā’s unseen command—an intimate, cosmic conception scene in a Himalayan palace-hermitage.

Characters & Entities

• Menā
• Rātri (Niśā)
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmic order operates through divine instruction; extraordinary births unfold by Brahmā’s sanctioned design.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the setting is the Himalayan household of Himagiri.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes a supernatural event authorized by Brahmā.