Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 71

Devanagari script

एतत्संचिंत्य बहुधा निमील्य नयने ततः । अप्रजल्प्य वरारोहां तामहं चात्र संस्थितः

Transliteration

etatsaṃciṃtya bahudhā nimīlya nayane tataḥ | aprajalpya varārohāṃ tāmahaṃ cātra saṃsthitaḥ

Translation

Ayant ainsi médité maintes fois, je fermai alors les yeux. Sans adresser une parole à cette dame aux belles cuisses, je demeurai là, debout.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this (matter)
• एतत्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• संचिन्त्य: having reflected
• संचिन्त्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव (indeclinable participle)

• बहुधा: in many ways; repeatedly
• बहुधा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहुधा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• निमील्य: having closed
• निमील्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मील् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभाव

• नयने: the two eyes
• नयने: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); द्विवचन

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'then/from there')

• अप्रजल्प्य: without speaking; having not spoken
• अप्रजल्प्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अ + प्र + जल्प् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); नञ्-निषेध (negative)

• वरारोहाम्: the beautiful woman
• वरारोहाम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर-आरोहा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (वरः आरोहा = 'excellent/beautiful woman')

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karman (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• संस्थितः: stood; remained
• संस्थितः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st); एकवचन

Speaker

Nārada (as recalled/reported within Pulastya’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The ascetic stands motionless with eyes closed, hands composed (japa or añjali), while the woman remains unaddressed; the moment is charged yet quiet.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Control of sight and speech—closing the eyes and maintaining silence—serves as a practical safeguard for spiritual discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is situated within Arbuda Khaṇḍa’s sacred narrative frame; it does not name a specific tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; it highlights personal niyamas such as mauna (silence) and sensory restraint.