Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचारी ततः प्राह प्रहसन्किमिदं शुभे । कर्तुकामासि तन्वंगि दृढयोगासनस्थिता

Transliteration

brahmacārī tataḥ prāha prahasankimidaṃ śubhe | kartukāmāsi tanvaṃgi dṛḍhayogāsanasthitā

Translation

Then the brahmacārī said with a smile: “O auspicious one, what is this? O slender-limbed lady, what do you intend to do, seated so firmly in a steady yogic posture?”

Word by Word

• brahmacārī: the brahmacārin (celibate student)
• brahmacārī: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kriya-viseshana (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/कालवाचक अव्यय

• prāha: said/spoke
• prāha: Kriya (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग pra-

• prahasan: smiling/laughing
• prahasan: Kriya-viseshana (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√has (धातु) → prahasan (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (while smiling)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (Object, interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम

• idam: this
• idam: Visheshana (Deictic qualifier of kim)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• śubhe: O auspicious one
• śubhe: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/vocative), एकवचन

• kartukāmāsi: you wish to do (are desirous to do)
• kartukāmāsi: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kartu (√kṛ धातोः तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + √as (धातु)
• Form: असि (लट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद) + नामधातुसदृश-समासार्थः: कर्तुकामा (स्त्रीलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन) + असि; अर्थः ‘त्वं कर्तुम् इच्छसि’

• tanvaṅgi: O slender-limbed one
• tanvaṅgi: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanu (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅgī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘तन्वङ्गी’ = यस्याः अङ्गानि तनूनि

• dṛḍhayogāsanasthitā: firmly seated in a yoga posture
• dṛḍhayogāsanasthitā: Visheshana (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛḍha (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + āsana (प्रातिपदिक) + sthita (√sthā, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समुच्चय): ‘दृढे योगासने स्थिताः’ इति; विशेषणम् (addressed woman)

Speaker

Brahmacārī (ascetic figure)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A smiling young brahmacārin approaches a woman seated immovably in yogāsana; his posture is relaxed yet authoritative, her posture unwavering, creating a tension between gentle inquiry and fierce resolve.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmacārī
• Pārvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual discipline invites scrutiny of intention—outer posture should align with inner purpose.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yogāsana (a firm meditative posture) is referenced as part of disciplined practice.