Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

प्रभुक्ता बहुभिः पूर्वं तथा गोपकुमारिका । एषा प्राप्ता सुपापाढ्या वेश्याजनशताधिका

Transliteration

prabhuktā bahubhiḥ pūrvaṃ tathā gopakumārikā | eṣā prāptā supāpāḍhyā veśyājanaśatādhikā

Translation

This cowherd girl has previously been enjoyed by many; she has come here laden with great sin—surpassing even hundreds of prostitutes.

Word by Word

• प्रभुक्ता: enjoyed/used (sexually), consumed
• प्रभुक्ता: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-भुक्त (भुज् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; (एषा/कुमारिका) विशेषणम्

• बहुभिः: by many
• बहुभिः: Karana (Instrument/agent group)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental) बहुवचन; ‘by many (men)’

• पूर्वम्: formerly, before
• पूर्वम्: Sambandha (Temporal adverb/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक adverb): ‘formerly/before’

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चय): ‘thus/also’

• गोपकुमारिका: a cowherd girl
• गोपकुमारिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोप + कुमारिका (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘गोपस्य कुमारिका’ = cowherd’s girl

• एषा: this (woman)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन

• प्राप्ता: has come, has been obtained
• प्राप्ता: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (आप् धातोः क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘प्राप्त’)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; (एषा) विशेषणम्—‘has come/has been obtained’

• सुपापाढ्या: rich in great sins; very sinful
• सुपापाढ्या: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पाप + आढ्या (आढ्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: ‘सुपापा च आढ्या च’/‘पापैः आढ्या’ (बहुपापयुक्ता)

• वेश्याजनशताधिका: exceeding a hundred (in prostitute-partners)
• वेश्याजनशताधिका: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेश्या + जन + शत + अधिका (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: ‘वेश्याजनशतेन अधिका’ = exceeding a hundred prostitutes/men of prostitutes (i.e., more than a hundred)

Speaker

Unspecified (polemical/admonitory dialogue voice; exact attribution not in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A charged courtroom-like gathering near a sacred place: the speaker points accusingly at a cowherd girl; the girl stands distressed; elders and priests look conflicted, highlighting moral tension.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays severe moral censure of sexual misconduct and frames it as generating heavy pāpa (demerit).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in the provided verse; it reads as part of a narrative episode within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive condemnation rather than a rite.