Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

पुत्री जाता प्रमोदेन स्वजनानंदवर्धिनी । ततस्तस्या विलोक्याथ मुखं वर्करिकाकृति

Transliteration

putrī jātā pramodena svajanānaṃdavardhinī | tatastasyā vilokyātha mukhaṃ varkarikākṛti

Translation

A daughter was born in gladness, increasing the joy of her kin and the people. Yet when they looked upon her, they saw her face bore the form of a she-goat.

Word by Word

• पुत्री: daughter
• पुत्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जाता: was born
• जाता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘जाता (अस्ति)’ = was born

• प्रमोदेन: with joy
• प्रमोदेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमोद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• स्वजनानन्दवर्धिनी: increasing the joy of her own people
• स्वजनानन्दवर्धिनी: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वजन + आनन्द + वर्धिनी (प्रातिपदिक); वर्ध् (धातु) → वर्धिन्/वर्धिनी (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वजनानाम् आनन्दं वर्धयति इति)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रयोगः (adverb: thereafter/then)

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• विलोक्य: having seen
• विलोक्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seen’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुबन्ध/क्रमसूचक (then/now)

• मुखम्: face
• मुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• वर्करिकाकृति: having the form of a varkarikā (a kind of animal/creature)
• वर्करिकाकृति: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्करिका + आकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्करिकायाः आकृतिः इव)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A royal birth-chamber: attendants rejoice at the newborn girl, then recoil in stunned silence as her face is seen to resemble a she-goat; lamps, midwives, and palace textiles frame the moment of mixed joy and shock.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worldly joy can be mixed with karmic consequence; outward form may reflect past causes even amid auspicious birth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not directly named here; the narrative remains anchored in the earlier glorification of the Mahī–Sāgara-saṅgama.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.