Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

तामकृत्रिमधम्मिल्लां जवनस्तनशोभिनीम् । सुरूपां वीक्ष्य कामेन किंचिद्व्याकुलतामगात्

Transliteration

tāmakṛtrimadhammillāṃ javanastanaśobhinīm | surūpāṃ vīkṣya kāmena kiṃcidvyākulatāmagāt

Translation

En la voyant —la chevelure naturellement arrangée, la poitrine de jeunesse rayonnante de beauté, et la forme d’une grâce parfaite—il fut ému par le désir et son esprit tomba dans une légère agitation.

Word by Word

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

• अकृत्रिम-धम्मिल्लाम्: with natural hair-tresses
• अकृत्रिम-धम्मिल्लाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकृत्रिम (प्रातिपदिक) + धम्मिल्ला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ताम्)

• जवन-स्तन-शोभिनीम्: beautiful with youthful breasts
• जवन-स्तन-शोभिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जवन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तन (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ताम्)

• सुरूपाम्: very beautiful
• सुरूपाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय-प्रयोग; ‘having seen’

• कामेन: by/with desire (lust)
• कामेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; हेतु/करणार्थे

• किंचित्: somewhat
• किंचित्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अल्पार्थक निपात (somewhat)

• व्याकुलताम्: agitation, distress
• व्याकुलताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याकुलता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• अगात्: went/entered (became)
• अगात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; prior speaker not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene forest clearing; Sāmavatī stands with naturally arranged hair and youthful radiance; Sumedhā gazes, momentarily shaken, his posture betraying inner turmoil.

Characters & Entities

• Sāmavatī
• Sumedhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a learned person can be disturbed by kāma; vigilance and inner discipline are required to uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised in this verse; it functions as narrative psychology within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the focus is on inner agitation arising from desire.