Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अतोऽहं गतपत्नीको भुक्तभोगो न कर्हिचित् । इमां तवाग्रमहिषीं कामार्थं दीयतां मम

Transliteration

ato'haṃ gatapatnīko bhuktabhogo na karhicit | imāṃ tavāgramahiṣīṃ kāmārthaṃ dīyatāṃ mama

Translation

Ainsi, moi—privé d’épouse et n’ayant jamais goûté aux plaisirs—je demande que cette reine principale, la tienne, me soit donnée pour l’accomplissement du désir.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात् (therefore)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gata-patnīkaḥ: one whose wife is gone/widowed
• gata-patnīkaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (√gam, क्त कृदन्त) + patnīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'gone wife'→'one whose wife is gone'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• bhukta-bhogaḥ: one who has enjoyed pleasures
• bhukta-bhogaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhukta (√bhuj, क्त कृदन्त) + bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• karhicit: ever/at any time
• karhicit: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: karhicit (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb): 'ever/at any time'

• imām: this (her)
• imām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tava: your/of you
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• agra-mahiṣīm: chief queen
• agra-mahiṣīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक) + mahiṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय/विशेषणपूर्वपद: 'chief queen'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kāma-artham: for (sexual) desire
• kāma-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (purpose: 'for desire'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

• dīyatām: let (her) be given
• dīyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'let (her) be given'

• mama: to me/of me
• mama: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa, eyes intent, gestures toward the queen; the queen recoils or lowers gaze; the king’s face hardens; courtiers react in shock.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa
• Bhadrāyu
• chief queen (agra-mahiṣī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unrestrained desire can misuse religious authority; dharma requires self-control and respect for moral boundaries.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse presents a request that becomes a test-case for dharma rather than a rite.