Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

नूनमेषापि कल्याणी महर्षेः पादसेवनात् । महाव्रतानुभावाच्च धत्ते गर्भमनिं दिता

Transliteration

nūnameṣāpi kalyāṇī maharṣeḥ pādasevanāt | mahāvratānubhāvācca dhatte garbhamaniṃ ditā

Translation

Assurément, cette femme de bon augure et sans tache porte un enfant, grâce au service rendu aux pieds du grand ṛṣi et par la puissance de ses grands vœux.

Word by Word

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/निश्चयवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: certainly/indeed)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; 'also/even')

• कल्याणी: auspicious, virtuous
• कल्याणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कल्याणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• महर्षेः: of the great sage
• महर्षेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• पाद-सेवनात्: from serving (his) feet
• पाद-सेवनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पादस्य सेवनम्)

• महाव्रत-अनुभावात्: from the potency of the great vow
• महाव्रत-अनुभावात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाव्रत (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (महाव्रतस्य अनुभावः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धत्ते: bears, holds
• धत्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• गर्भम्: a pregnancy/embryo
• गर्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अनिम्: a pin/peg (ani)
• अनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• दिता: Ditā
• दिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper name)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-style narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An auspicious woman, serene and radiant, sits modestly near a great seer’s feet, offering water/flowers; a subtle divine glow around her womb symbolizes the fruit of vows and service.

Characters & Entities

• Maharṣi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Selfless service (sevā) and steadfast vows (vrata) are depicted as powerful spiritual causes that bring divine fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is mentioned in this verse; it emphasizes dharma-through-sevā and vrata rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly praises mahā-vrata (great vows) and guru-pāda-sevā (service to a revered sage), without detailing a specific rite.