Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

अथ सा दुःखिता नारी स्मृत्वा धर्मं सुनिर्मलम् । सर्वान्बन्धून्समीक्ष्यैव बभाषे करुणं वचः

Transliteration

atha sā duḥkhitā nārī smṛtvā dharmaṃ sunirmalam | sarvānbandhūnsamīkṣyaiva babhāṣe karuṇaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ ദുഃഖിതയായ ആ സ്ത്രീ നിർമലധർമ്മം സ്മരിച്ചു. എല്ലാ ബന്ധുക്കളെയും നോക്കി കരുണ നിറഞ്ഞ വാക്കുകൾ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Discourse/Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; आरम्भ/अनन्तर्यसूचकः (then/now)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• दुःखिता: afflicted
• दुःखिता: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘सा’ इति विशेषणम्

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘सा’ इति अप्पोजिशन्

• स्मृत्वा: having remembered
• स्मृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having remembered)

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteousness
• धर्मम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सुनिर्मलम्: very pure
• सुनिर्मलम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/प्रातिपदिक) + nirmala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समासः; पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘धर्मम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• सर्वान्: all
• सर्वान्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘बन्धून्’ इति विशेषणम्

• बन्धून्: relatives
• बन्धून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bandhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• समीक्ष्य: having looked at
• समीक्ष्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having looked at)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Nipāta (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारणार्थकः (emphatic particle)

• बभाषे: spoke
• बभाषे: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• करुणम्: pitiful, compassionate
• करुणम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘वचः’ इति विशेषणम्

• वचः: words, speech
• वचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (Accusative singular)

Speaker

Narrator (context not specified in excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A circle of relatives and townsfolk; the woman, tearful yet composed, steps forward to speak; hands in añjali or open-palmed confession; faces attentive, some stern, some grieving; smoke from pyre in distance.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Bandhu (kinsfolk)
• Nārī (woman)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even amid grief, dharma is recalled as a guiding light, shaping speech and conduct toward others.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; it introduces a dharma-based appeal to relatives.