Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

अग्निवेश्यसुतां भद्र विवस्त्रां जलमध्यगाम् । उद्भिन्नयौवनां श्यामां मध्यक्षामां मृगेक्षणाम्

Transliteration

agniveśyasutāṃ bhadra vivastrāṃ jalamadhyagām | udbhinnayauvanāṃ śyāmāṃ madhyakṣāmāṃ mṛgekṣaṇām

Translation

O noble one, she was Agniveśya’s daughter—without garments, standing in the midst of the water—her youth newly blossoming, dark-hued, slender-waisted, and doe-eyed.

Word by Word

• अग्निवेश्य: of Agniveśya
• अग्निवेश्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्निवेश्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)

• सुताम्: daughter
• सुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• भद्र: O noble one
• भद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• विवस्त्राम्: unclothed
• विवस्त्राम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जल: of water
• जल: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• मध्य: in the middle
• मध्य: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• गाम्: gone into the midst of the water
• गाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + ण्वुल्/क्विप् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक: गा/गाम्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समास: जल-मध्य-गा (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• उद्भिन्न: sprouted, blossoming
• उद्भिन्न: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उद् + भिद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• यौवनाम्: youth
• यौवनाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यौवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: उद्भिन्न-यौवना (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• श्यामाम्: dark-complexioned
• श्यामाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मध्य: waist/middle
• मध्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी-समासार्थ; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• क्षामाम्: slender-waisted
• क्षामाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: मध्य-क्षामा (कर्मधारय)

• मृग: of a deer
• मृग: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• ईक्षणाम्: having eyes (like) a deer
• ईक्षणाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: मृग-ईक्षणा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced—Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dark-hued, doe-eyed maiden stands waist-deep in clear water, garmentless, youth just blossoming; ripples circle her slender waist as sunlight glints on the surface; lotuses and reeds frame the bank, suggesting a sacred bathing spot.

Characters & Entities

• Agniveśya
• Muni-kanyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas often depict the triggering of desire through vivid perception to warn that unchecked attraction can lead one away from dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it continues the scene-setting within the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; this is descriptive narration.