Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

दौहित्रीं कव्यवाहानां दद्मि पुत्रीं स्वकामहम् । इत्युक्त्वा तस्थिवाञ्छैलो न जानाति हरस्य सः

Transliteration

dauhitrīṃ kavyavāhānāṃ dadmi putrīṃ svakāmaham | ityuktvā tasthivāñchailo na jānāti harasya saḥ

Translation

“ಕವ್ಯವಾಹನರ (ಅಗ್ನಿದೇವರ) ದೌಹಿತ್ರಿಯಾದ ನನ್ನ ಪುತ್ರಿಯನ್ನು ನಾನು ಸ್ವಇಚ್ಛೆಯಿಂದ ನೀಡುತ್ತೇನೆ” ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಿ ಶೈಲನು ನಿಂತನು; ಆದರೆ ಹರ (ಶಿವ)ನ ನಿಜತತ್ತ್ವವನ್ನು ಅವನು ಅರಿಯಲಿಲ್ಲ।

Word by Word

• दौहित्रीम्: granddaughter (daughter’s daughter)
• दौहित्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दौहित्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• कव्यवाहानाम्: of the Kavyavāhas (Agni-s)
• कव्यवाहानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कव्य + वाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); बहुवचन; समास: कव्य-वाह (carrier of oblations; Agni)

• दद्मि: I give
• दद्मि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); उत्तमपुरुष (1st person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुत्रीम्: daughter
• पुत्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• स्वकामम्: as I wish/at my pleasure
• स्वकामम्: Kriya (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; विशेषण (according to one’s own wish)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वाक्यसमाप्ति/उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having said)

• तस्थिवान्: stood/remained
• तस्थिवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन (having stood/remained)

• शैलः: Śaila (the mountain)
• शैलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• हरस्य: of Hara (Śiva)
• हरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive); एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śaila stands solemnly, declaring his intent to give his daughter; nearby, Śiva appears as a simple ascetic—matted hair, ash-smeared—while the court remains unsure of his true grandeur.

Characters & Entities

• Himālaya (Śaila)
• Śiva (Hara)
• Fire/Agni class (kavyavāhana)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when the Divine appears ordinary, dharmic intention (pure kanyādāna) remains meritorious; the Lord’s greatness can be veiled in līlā.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific location is praised in this verse; it focuses on the marriage-giving act within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The intention and declaration connected to kanyādāna (formal giving of the daughter) is foregrounded.