Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अस्माकमीप्सितं भद्रे यतस्त्वं वरवर्णिनी । यत्र वाप्यभि कामासि तं वृणीष्व सुशोभने

Transliteration

asmākamīpsitaṃ bhadre yatastvaṃ varavarṇinī | yatra vāpyabhi kāmāsi taṃ vṛṇīṣva suśobhane

Translation

吉祥なる麗しき方よ、すぐれた容色のあなたこそ、我らが選ばれんことを願うお方。心の向くままに、望む者を選びなさい、あでやかな方よ。

Word by Word

• asmākam: of us/our
• asmākam: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• īpsitam: the desired (thing)
• īpsitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √āp (आप् धातु) + īpsita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक (desired), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (contextually predicate/‘desired [thing]’)

• bhadre: O noble lady
• bhadre: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhadrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• yataḥ: because/since
• yataḥ: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (causal/relative adverb): ‘since/because’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vara-varṇinī: of excellent complexion
• vara-varṇinī: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara + varṇinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (excellent + complexioned/beautiful)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb): ‘where’

• vā: or
• vā: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-निपात (disjunctive particle): ‘or/indeed’

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): ‘also/even’

• abhi: towards
• abhi: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: abhi (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (preverb/adverb): ‘towards/over’

• kāmāsi: you desire/wish
• kāmāsi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kam (कम् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vṛṇīṣva: choose
• vṛṇīṣva: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vṛ (वृ धातु, ‘choose’)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• su-śobhane: O very beautiful one
• su-śobhane: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + śobhanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (very beautiful one)

Speaker

Unspecified (context: the assembled suitors/men addressing Sukanyā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The identical radiant figures speak gently to the lady, praising her beauty and auspiciousness, urging her to choose according to her heart’s inclination.

Characters & Entities

• Sukanyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma honors rightful choice and inner discernment, even amid outwardly attractive options.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya section.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is narrative, framing a choice (selection of a husband).