Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

किं वा ते बहुनोक्तेन पत्नीशालां समागता । रशना योजिता तस्या गोप्याः कट्यां सुरेश्वरि

Transliteration

kiṃ vā te bahunoktena patnīśālāṃ samāgatā | raśanā yojitā tasyā gopyāḥ kaṭyāṃ sureśvari

Translation

Mais à quoi bon s’étendre ? On la conduisit aux appartements des femmes ; et l’on attacha à sa taille une ceinture—l’écharpe de la jeune vachère—ô Dame des dieux.

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; प्रश्नार्थक

• वा: or/indeed
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात — Disjunctive particle

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन — Genitive/Dative, Singular; सर्वनाम

• बहुना: with much (talk)
• बहुना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• उक्तेन: by what is said; by speaking
• उक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वच् (धातु) → उक्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; क्त-कृदन्त (said speech)

• पत्नीशालाम्: the women’s hall
• पत्नीशालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी+शाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (पत्नीनां शाला)

• समागता: has come/arrived
• समागता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+गम् (धातु) → समागत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• रशना: a girdle/belt
• रशना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रशना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• योजिता: was fastened
• योजिता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु) → योजित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Past passive participle, Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन — Feminine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• गोप्याः: the cowherd women
• गोप्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Feminine, Nominative (1st), Plural

• कट्याम्: on the waist
• कट्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Feminine, Locative (7th), Singular

• सुरेश्वरि: O queen of the gods
• सुरेश्वरि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर+ईश्वरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन — Feminine, Vocative, Singular; तत्पुरुष-समास (सुराणाम् ईश्वरी)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: surēśvarī (vocative)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bride is led into the women’s quarters; attendants fasten a distinctive cowherd-girl’s sash at her waist, emphasizing costume and transition into household space.

Characters & Entities

• Sureśvarī (addressed feminine)
• Gopī/Gopā maiden (Gāyatrī context)
• Patnī-śālā (women’s quarters)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narrative grounds cosmic events in lived ritual detail, showing how dharma is enacted through customary signs and preparations.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is part of a Tīrthamāhātmya chapter; it supports the sanctity of the broader setting rather than naming a particular tīrtha here.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal prescription; it describes post-marriage integration into patnī-śālā and customary adornment (raśanā).