Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

जायंते ताश्च बंधक्यो विधवा दुर्भगास्तथा । कन्यादानफल प्राप्त्या तासां सौख्यं प्रजायते

Transliteration

jāyaṃte tāśca baṃdhakyo vidhavā durbhagāstathā | kanyādānaphala prāptyā tāsāṃ saukhyaṃ prajāyate

Translation

Elles naissent femmes en servitude, veuves, et malheureuses. Pourtant, en obtenant le fruit du kanyādāna, le bonheur naît pour elles.

Word by Word

• jāyante: Are born
• jāyante: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Plural, Atmanepada

• tāḥ: They (those daughters)
• tāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• ca: And
• ca: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च)
• Form: Conjunction

• bandhakyaḥ: Unchaste women / Harlots
• bandhakyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhakī (बन्धकी)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vidhavā: Widows
• vidhavā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhavā (विधवा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (Irregular Sandhi/Arsha usage)

• durbhagāḥ: Unfortunate / Wretched
• durbhagāḥ: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durbhagā (दुर्भागा)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tathā: So / Also
• tathā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (तथा)
• Form: Adverb

• kanyādānaphalaprāptyā: By obtaining the fruit of giving a daughter
• kanyādānaphalaprāptyā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyādānaphalaprāpti (कन्यादानफलप्राप्ति)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• tāsām: Their (of those women)
• tāsām: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• saukhyam: Happiness
• saukhyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saukhya (सौख्य)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• prajāyate: Arises / Is born
• prajāyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + jan (प्र + जन्)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular, Atmanepada

Speaker

Bhīṣma (contextual, continuing instruction to Yudhiṣṭhira in the Śrāddha-kalpa section)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three sorrowful feminine figures—bonded woman, widow, and an ill-fated woman—stand in muted tones; behind them a radiant kanyā-dāna scene unfolds, with blessings flowing like light, symbolizing merit transforming destiny.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karmic hardship can be alleviated through dharmic acts; here, kanyā-dāna is praised as a merit-bearing remedy that brings well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider passage belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya within the Nāgara-khaṇḍa, though this verse itself emphasizes dāna rather than naming a tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kanyā-dāna (the meritorious giving of a maiden in marriage) is presented as a dharmic act that yields happiness and relief.