Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

वक्तुमिच्छुः शैलपुत्रीं सखीभिरिति चोदितः । ब्रह्मन्नियं महाभागा गृहीतनियमा शुभा

Transliteration

vaktumicchuḥ śailaputrīṃ sakhībhiriti coditaḥ | brahmanniyaṃ mahābhāgā gṛhītaniyamā śubhā

Translation

Désireux de s’adresser à la Fille de la Montagne, et poussé par ses compagnes, on lui dit : « Ô Brāhmaṇa, cette dame noble et de bon augure a entrepris un niyama sacré (observance). »

Word by Word

• vaktum: to speak
• vaktum: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); अव्ययभावः; प्रयोजनार्थकः

• icchuḥ: desiring, wishing
• icchuḥ: Karta (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √iṣ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ/उणादि-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participial adjective) ; पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• śaila-putrīm: the mountain-daughter (Pārvatī)
• śaila-putrīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaila (प्रातिपदिक) + putrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः ('mountain's daughter')

• sakhībhiḥ: by (her) friends
• sakhībhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) बहुवचनम्

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• coditaḥ: urged, prompted
• coditaḥ: Karta (Patient qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √cud (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• brahman: O Brahmin / O venerable one
• brahman: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative) एकवचनम्

• iyam: this (woman)
• iyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• mahā-bhāgā: very fortunate, noble
• mahā-bhāgā: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः; विशेषणम् (to 'iyam')

• gṛhīta-niyamā: having undertaken a vow/observance
• gṛhīta-niyamā: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛhīta (प्रातिपदिक; √grah PPP) + niyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम्

• śubhā: auspicious, good
• śubhā: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st/Nominative) एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating to the sages (deductive, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The companions gently address the visiting ‘Brāhmaṇa’, indicating Pārvatī is under a sacred observance; their gestures are polite, palms joined, signaling ‘please wait’.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī (Śailaputrī)
• Sakhīs (companions)
• Brāhmaṇa/Brahmacārī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred vows (niyama/vrata) deserve respect; one should approach a practitioner of austerity with patience and reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it advances a vrata-focused narrative within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A niyama (observance/vow) is referenced, indicating disciplined conduct and ritual purity during the vow.