Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 141

Devanagari script

कन्योवाच । के नाम न विरज्यंति ज्ञानाढ्या अपि मानवाः । कर्णांतलग्ननेत्रांतां दृष्ट्वा पीन पयोधराम्

Transliteration

kanyovāca | ke nāma na virajyaṃti jñānāḍhyā api mānavāḥ | karṇāṃtalagnanetrāṃtāṃ dṛṣṭvā pīna payodharām

Translation

La jeune fille dit : «Qui donc ne serait pas saisi de désir—même l’homme riche de connaissance—en voyant une femme aux seins pleins, dont les yeux semblent atteindre le bord des oreilles ?»

Word by Word

• कन्या: the maiden
• कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• के: who
• के: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• नाम: indeed/ever
• नाम: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/विस्मय-सूचक अव्यय (particle: indeed/ever)

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

• विरज्यन्ति: become dispassionate
• विरज्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + रञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद

• ज्ञानाढ्याः: rich in knowledge
• ज्ञानाढ्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक अव्यय (particle: even)

• मानवाः: men/humans
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कर्णान्तलग्ननेत्रान्ताम्: whose eye-corners are fixed up to the ear-ends (i.e., long-eyed)
• कर्णान्तलग्ननेत्रान्ताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्णान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + लग्न (प्रातिपदिक) + नेत्रान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having seen’

• पीन: full, plump
• पीन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-एकवचन (Acc. sg.)—पयोधराम् इति विशेषण

• पयोधराम्: a breast (bosom)
• पयोधराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयोधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Kanyā (the maiden)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Muni

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maiden speaks with frankness; a stylized depiction of a beautiful woman appears as an illustrative vision—eyes elongated, ornaments, and sensuous form—while scholars look conflicted.

Characters & Entities

• Jñāna
• Rāga (attachment)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere learning does not guarantee mastery over desire; vigilance and restraint are required for dharmic living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is named in this verse; it supports the broader moral teaching within a tīrtha-māhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed here; the focus is on psychological and ethical discipline.