Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

नग्नां तां क्रीडतीं वीक्ष्य यतिर्मदनपूरितः । दैवाग्निभ्रंशितो मार्गात्सहसा च विमोहितः

Transliteration

nagnāṃ tāṃ krīḍatīṃ vīkṣya yatirmadanapūritaḥ | daivāgnibhraṃśito mārgātsahasā ca vimohitaḥ

Translation

Seeing her unclothed and at play, the ascetic was filled with desire. Suddenly, as though cast from the path by fate’s fire, he fell into delusion.

Word by Word

• नग्नाम्: naked
• नग्नाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘naked’ (qualifying ताम्)

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

• क्रीडतीम्: playing
• क्रीडतीम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रीड् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘playing’

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि-ईक्ष् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having seen’

• यतिः: ascetic
• यतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मदनपूरितः: filled with desire
• मदनपूरितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदन + पूरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थ (मदनेन पूरितः = filled with love/desire)

• दैवाग्निभ्रंशितः: led astray by fate
• दैवाग्निभ्रंशितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैव + अग्नि + भ्रंशित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययार्थ ‘caused to fall/stray’; दैवेन (दैवात्) अग्निभ्रंशितः इत्यर्थः

• मार्गात्: from the path
• मार्गात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (from the path)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: suddenly)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• विमोहितः: bewildered
• विमोहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृत्; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘bewildered’

Speaker

Vasiṣṭha (continuing the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gaṅgā (Kāśī-tīra)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dilīpa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ascetic, upon seeing the nude woman playing in the water, is struck by sudden desire; his posture shifts from composed meditation to startled agitation, as if a fiery fate knocks him off the path into delusion.

Characters & Entities

• Vasiṣṭha
• Yati (ascetic)
• Madana (Kāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even advanced practitioners must guard the senses; a single lapse of attention can lead to moha and a fall from discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger story is set in Kāśī, though this verse focuses on the ascetic’s inner struggle rather than the site’s merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it implicitly stresses brahmacarya/self-restraint as a lived discipline.