Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

सदा पौनर्भवा कन्या वर्ज नीया कुलाधमा । वाचा दत्ता मनोदत्ता कृतकौतुकमंगला

Transliteration

sadā paunarbhavā kanyā varja nīyā kulādhamā | vācā dattā manodattā kṛtakautukamaṃgalā

Translation

La doncella que una y otra vez es “devuelta” y dada de nuevo en matrimonio debe ser siempre evitada como esposa por quien guarda el dharma del linaje. Asimismo, la joven ya entregada por palabra (prometida), entregada en el corazón (aceptada mentalmente) o para quien se han realizado los ritos auspiciosos del desposorio, no debe ser tomada por otro.

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb of time)

• पौनर्भवा: (a girl) of remarriage/second union; ‘paunarbhavā’
• पौनर्भवा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पौनर्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (feminine nominative singular adjective)

• कन्या: girl/maiden
• कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• वर्जनीया: to be avoided
• वर्जनीया: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जनीय (प्रातिपदिक; √वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु) + अनीय)
• Form: कृदन्त (अनीयत्-प्रत्यय; gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be avoided)

• कुलाधमा: the lowest/disgrace of the family
• कुलाधमा: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कुलस्य अधमः/अधमा); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• वाचा: by speech/verbally
• वाचा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• दत्ता: given
• दत्ता: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय; past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• मनः: by mind/mentally
• मनः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपद-रूप (instrumental singular used as first member)

• दत्ता: given
• दत्ता: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √दा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• कृत: performed/done
• कृत: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग प्रातिपदिकरूप; समासपूर्वपद (done/made)

• कौतुक: ceremonial rite/festivity
• कौतुक: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासमध्यपद (ceremony/rite; festive act)

• मङ्गला: having auspicious rites performed
• मङ्गला: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृत-कौतुक-मङ्गला = यस्याः मङ्गलं कृतकौतुकम्/कृतकौतुकं मङ्गलं); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative legal/dharma instruction within the Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A formal betrothal setting: elders seated, a maiden with auspicious thread/bracelet (kautuka), turmeric and flowers, a priest reciting; a second suitor turned away to uphold dharma.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It emphasizes guarding kula-dharma by avoiding unions that violate prior commitment or established marital status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a dharma-focused rule within Dharmāraṇya teachings.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references kautuka-maṅgala—auspicious engagement/betrothal rites—indicating that once performed, the girl is not to be taken by another.