Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

पादुकां च द्वितीये तु पर्यधावन्नितंबिनीः । व्रजंतीषु तथान्यासु वनितासु गवाक्षकान्

Transliteration

pādukāṃ ca dvitīye tu paryadhāvannitaṃbinīḥ | vrajaṃtīṣu tathānyāsu vanitāsu gavākṣakān

Translation

Et à l’autre pied aussi elles chaussèrent la sandale, courant çà et là; tandis que d’autres femmes, pressées, se précipitaient vers les fenêtres.

Word by Word

• पादुकाम्: a sandal (pair)
• पादुकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पादुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; Accusative Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—समुच्चय (conjunction)

• द्वितीये: on the second (foot)
• द्वितीये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative Singular (used adjectivally)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रकारः—विरोध/विशेष (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• पर्यधावन्: they ran about
• पर्यधावन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + √धाव् (धातु), लङ्
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; Parasmaipada

• नितम्बिनीः: women (with shapely hips)
• नितम्बिनीः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नितम्बिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative Plural

• व्रजन्तीषु: while (they) were going
• व्रजन्तीषु: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्रजत् (कृदन्त; √व्रज् धातु, शतृ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; Locative Absolute participle

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb ‘also/likewise’

• अन्यासु: in/among other (women)
• अन्यासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; Locative Plural (qualifying ‘वनितासु’)

• वनितासु: among women
• वनितासु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; Locative Plural

• गवाक्षकान्: windows/lattices
• गवाक्षकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गवाक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; Accusative Plural

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A lively street: some women run still adjusting the second sandal; others lean from windows, craning for a glimpse, eyes wide and intent.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse heightens the scene of collective agitation, a common Purāṇic device that later underscores the superiority of restraint and devotion over impulsive fascination.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader chapter belongs to a tīrtha-māhātmya section, but this verse alone does not name the particular site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is narrative description.