Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

तस्याहं कारिणी नित्यं कुमारी च धृतव्रता । कालत्रयेप्यस्वतन्त्रा श्रूयते विबुधैः सुता

Transliteration

tasyāhaṃ kāriṇī nityaṃ kumārī ca dhṛtavratā | kālatrayepyasvatantrā śrūyate vibudhaiḥ sutā

Translation

“Aku senantiasa menjadi pelaksana kehendaknya—tetap perawan, teguh dalam tapa dan kaul. Bahkan dalam tiga masa—lampau, kini, dan akan datang—aku tidak mandiri; demikianlah putri disebut oleh para bijak.”

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा; एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• कारिणी: (his) agent; one who acts (for him)
• कारिणी: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कारिन् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun: doer); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (Feminine nominative singular)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (accusative used adverbially: always)

• कुमारी: a maiden
• कुमारी: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारि/कुमारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• धृतव्रता: one who has kept a vow
• धृतव्रता: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृत + व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (धृतं व्रतं यस्या: having observed/held a vow); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन

• कालत्रये: in the three times (past, present, future)
• कालत्रये: Adhikaraṇa (Locative circumstance/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रयाणां कालानां = three times); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी; एकवचन (Locative singular)

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थक निपात (even/also)

• अस्वतन्त्रा: not independent
• अस्वतन्त्रा: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + स्वतन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (Feminine nominative singular)

• श्रूयते: is said; is heard
• श्रूयते: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: ‘is heard/said’)

• विबुधैः: by the wise; by the gods
• विबुधैः: Karaṇa (Agent/instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया; बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• सुता: a daughter
• सुता: Karta (Predicate noun/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (Nominative singular)

Speaker

Sarasvatī (implied from the immediate narrative context; explicit at Śloka 23)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The maiden declares herself ever obedient, ever a maiden, firm in vows, and not independent across past-present-future; sages’ approval is implied.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is shown as disciplined obedience and vow-steadfastness, where even divine beings honor rightful authority and duty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The passage belongs to Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, praising the sacred Prabhāsa region through its divine events and protections.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the emphasis is on vrata (vow-discipline) and dharmic conduct.