Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अलम्बुषे मिश्रकेशि पुण्डरीके वरूथिनि । विलोकनीयं बिभ्राणा वपुर्मन्मथबोधनम्

Transliteration

alambuṣe miśrakeśi puṇḍarīke varūthini | vilokanīyaṃ bibhrāṇā vapurmanmathabodhanam

Translation

« Ô Alambuṣā, Miśrakeśī, Puṇḍarīkā, Varūthinī — portant une forme digne d’être contemplée, une beauté qui éveille Kāma (le désir). »

Word by Word

• अलम्बुषे: O Alambuṣā
• अलम्बुषे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलम्बुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• मिश्रकेशि: O mixed-haired one
• मिश्रकेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिश्र + केशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘मिश्राः केशाः यस्याः सा’

• पुण्डरीके: O Puṇḍarīkā
• पुण्डरीके: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्डरीका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• वरूथिनि: O Varūthinī
• वरूथिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरूथिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन; ‘वरूथिन्’ (having a retinue/armour) स्त्री-सम्बोधन

• विलोकनीयम्: worthy to be looked at
• विलोकनीयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + लोक् (धातु)
• Form: अनीयर्/तव्यत्-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (वपुः)

• बिभ्राणा: bearing/wearing
• बिभ्राणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त/active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

• वपुः: a body/beauty
• वपुः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• मन्मथबोधनम्: arousing desire (Kāma)
• मन्मथबोधनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्मथ + बोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मन्मथस्य बोधनम्’ (that which awakens Kāma); विशेषणम् (वपुः)

Speaker

Indra (continuing address)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Apsarases named Alambuṣā, Miśrakeśī, Puṇḍarīkā, Varūthinī appear with captivating forms—ornaments, flowing hair, and poised glances—embodying ‘manmatha-bodhana’ (desire-awakening beauty).

Characters & Entities

• Alambuṣā
• Miśrakeśī
• Puṇḍarīkā
• Varūthinī
• Manmatha (Kāma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Temptation can be refined and attractive, yet it remains a hindrance when one is committed to higher discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is praised in this verse; it continues Indra’s mobilization of temptresses within the Gandhamādana-tapas narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse characterizes the seductive power (Manmatha-bodhana) of the apsarases’ beauty.