Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

समागच्छ निजां कन्यां येन यच्छाम्यहं तव । नाम्ना रत्नवतीं ख्यातां त्रैलोक्यस्यापि सुन्दरीम्

Transliteration

samāgaccha nijāṃ kanyāṃ yena yacchāmyahaṃ tava | nāmnā ratnavatīṃ khyātāṃ trailokyasyāpi sundarīm

Translation

“ಬನ್ನಿರಿ, ನಾನು ನನ್ನ ಸ್ವಕನ್ಯೆಯನ್ನು ನಿಮಗೆ ನೀಡುವೆನು—ರತ್ನವತೀ ಎಂಬ ನಾಮದಿಂದ ಖ್ಯಾತಳಾದ, ತ್ರಿಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಸುಂದರಿಯೆಂದು ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧಳಾದವಳನ್ನು.”

Word by Word

• समागच्छ: come (together)/come
• समागच्छ: Kriya (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• निजाम्: your own
• निजाम्: Karma (Qualifier within object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifier of कन्याम्)

• कन्याम्: daughter/maiden
• कन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• येन: by which/so that
• येन: Karana (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; साधन/हेतु (by which/so that)

• यच्छामि: I give/bestow
• यच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तव: to you/for you
• तव: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karana (Specification/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रकार/विशेषणार्थे (by name)

• रत्नवतीम्: Ratnavatī
• रत्नवतीम्: Karma (Apposition to कन्याम्/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रत्नवत्/रत्नवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग; नाम (proper name)

• ख्याताम्: renowned
• ख्याताम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषण (of कन्याम्)

• त्रैलोक्यस्य: of the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्विगु-समास (त्रयाणां लोकानां समाहारः)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• सुन्दरीम्: beautiful woman
• सुन्दरीम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुन्दरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषण (of कन्याम्)

Speaker

Anartādhipa (king of Anarta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A proclamation of offering Ratnavatī in marriage: the Anarta lord speaks with pride and affection; Ratnavatī appears adorned with jewels, embodying ‘Ratnavatī’ (gem-laden).

Characters & Entities

• Ratnavatī
• Daśārṇādhipati
• Trailokya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse reflects dharmic social order where marriage (and kanyādāna) is treated as a sacred duty, not merely politics.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode is embedded in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya, though this verse itself praises a person (Ratnavatī).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly points to kanyādāna (giving the daughter in marriage), but no procedural rite is detailed here.