Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

विस्तीर्णजघनाभोगां रंभोरुं संहतस्तनीम् । तामंकुरितलावण्यां जलसेका दिवाग्रतः

Transliteration

vistīrṇajaghanābhogāṃ raṃbhoruṃ saṃhatastanīm | tāmaṃkuritalāvaṇyāṃ jalasekā divāgrataḥ

Translation

Her hips were full and broad, her thighs like Rambhā’s, and her breasts firm and close-set. Her beauty seemed newly sprouted as she bathed, pouring water over herself in the open of day.

Word by Word

• विस्तीर्ण: broad, expanded
• विस्तीर्ण: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + स्तॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• जघन: hips
• जघन: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जघन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-समासार्थ; समासमध्यपद

• आभोगाम्: having ample fullness
• आभोगाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: विस्तीर्ण-जघन-आभोगा (तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• रंभा: of Rambhā (apsaras)
• रंभा: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रंभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• ऊरुम्: thighs like Rambhā’s
• ऊरुम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: रंभा-ऊरु (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• संहत: firm, well-knit
• संहत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + हन्/हृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त; here ‘compact/firm’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• स्तनीम्: firm-breasted
• स्तनीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्तनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: संहत-स्तनी (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अंकुरित: budding
• अंकुरित: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अंकुर (प्रातिपदिक) + इत (कृदन्त/तद्धित-प्राय; ‘sprouted’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद

• लावण्याम्: beauty
• लावण्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लावण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: अंकुरित-लावण्या (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्राय)

• जल: of water
• जल: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-समासार्थ; समासपूर्वपद

• सेकात्: from the sprinkling of water
• सेकात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; समास: जल-सेकात् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• अग्रतः: in front, before
• अग्रतः: Desha (Place/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place/manner)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced—Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In bright daylight, the maiden pours water over herself; broad hips and Rambhā-like thighs are stylized in classical proportion; the riverbank is sunlit, with companions nearby playing in water, suggesting a lively bathing scene.

Characters & Entities

• Rambhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text intensifies description to show how the mind gets captivated; the implied lesson is to cultivate inner discipline (dama) and right conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing is mentioned only as part of the scene, not as a prescribed rite.