Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 140

Devanagari script

यावद्रजस्वला नैव जायते सा निरूपिता । कृत्स्नं दूषयति क्षिप्रं नैव वंशं ममाधमा

Transliteration

yāvadrajasvalā naiva jāyate sā nirūpitā | kṛtsnaṃ dūṣayati kṣipraṃ naiva vaṃśaṃ mamādhamā

Translation

Tant qu’on ne la voit pas devenir rajasvalā (atteindre l’âge de femme), tout demeure incertain ; cet être indigne souillerait bien vite toute ma lignée.

Word by Word

• yāvat: until; as long as
• yāvat: Adhikarana (कालाधिकरण/temporal limit)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध/परिमाण-निर्देशक), अर्थे ‘यावत्’ = ‘यावद्-कालम्/यावत्-पर्यन्तम्’ (until/as long as)

• rajasvalā: a menstruating woman
• rajasvalā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajasvalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘रजस्वला’ = menstruating woman

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• jāyate: is born; arises
• jāyate: Kriya (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘जायते’ = is born/comes into being

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• nirūpitā: declared; determined
• nirūpitā: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirūpita (कृदन्त; √rūp/√rūpaya? ‘निरूप्’ भावे)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘निरूपिता’ = determined/declared/ascertained

• kṛtsnam: the whole; entire
• kṛtsnam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म-विशेषण

• dūṣayati: defiles; pollutes
• dūṣayati: Kriya (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dūṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘दूषयति’ = defiles/spoils

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriya-visheshana (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• na: not
• na: Nishedha (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• vaṃśam: lineage; family line
• vaṃśam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (genitive/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• adhamā: base; vile (woman)
• adhamā: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: adhama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे/निन्दावाचक-विशेषण (here as predicate/epithet)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king or noble figure speaks in agitation about the uncertainty of a young girl’s maturity, fearing disgrace to his lineage; interior palace setting, tense gestures, worried attendants.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra
• Vaṃśa (lineage)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It reflects the Purāṇic emphasis on safeguarding family dharma and social order through perceived eligibility and propriety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this verse; it is a social-narrative passage within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse expresses a concern about marital suitability and its impact on lineage.