Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

क्षीणाङ्गी शुक्लदेहा च रूक्षकेशी सुदारुणा । कृतयज्ञोपवीता सा तपोनिष्ठा शुभेक्षणा

Transliteration

kṣīṇāṅgī śukladehā ca rūkṣakeśī sudāruṇā | kṛtayajñopavītā sā taponiṣṭhā śubhekṣaṇā

Translation

അവളുടെ അവയവങ്ങൾ ക്ഷീണിച്ചിരുന്നു; ദേഹം ശ്വേതമായിരുന്നു; കേശം രൂക്ഷമായിരുന്നു; തപസ്സ് അത്യന്തം ദാരുണമായിരുന്നു. യജ്ഞോപവീതം ധരിച്ച് അവൾ തപോനിഷ്ഠയായി, ശുഭദൃഷ്ടിയോടെ നിലകൊണ്ടു.

Word by Word

• क्षीणाङ्गी: emaciated-limbed (woman)
• क्षीणाङ्गी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षीण (कृदन्त, √क्षि/क्षी ‘क्षय’)+अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः ‘क्षीणानि अङ्गानि यस्याः सा’ (having emaciated limbs)

• शुक्लदेहा: white-bodied
• शुक्लदेहा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)+देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः ‘शुक्लः देहः यस्याः सा’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• रूक्षकेशी: rough-haired
• रूक्षकेशी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)+केशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः ‘रूक्षाः केशाः यस्याः सा’

• सुदारुणा: very dreadful
• सुदारुणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुदारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कृतयज्ञोपवीता: having the sacred thread (properly) worn
• कृतयज्ञोपवीता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त, √कृ ‘to do’)+यज्ञोपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः ‘कृतं यज्ञोपवीतं यस्याः सा’ (wearing/with the sacred thread duly put on)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तपोनिष्ठा: devoted to austerity
• तपोनिष्ठा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)+निष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः ‘तपसि निष्ठा यस्याः सा’ (steadfast in austerity)

• शुभेक्षणा: of auspicious gaze
• शुभेक्षणा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)+ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिसमासः ‘शुभम् ईक्षणं यस्याः सा’

Speaker

Narrator (speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-sphere

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Anasūyā in severe tapas: emaciated limbs, pale body, rough hair, wearing yajñopavīta; seated/standing in a forested riverbank āśrama atmosphere with a quiet, luminous aura.

Characters & Entities

• Goddess (contextually Anasūyā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True spiritual power is shown through disciplined austerity and purity, which make one a fit vessel for divine boons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is primarily character-description; it belongs to the Revā-kṣetra narrative setting rather than naming a distinct tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The symbol of yajñopavīta is referenced as a marker of sacred discipline; no specific rite is instructed.