Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

तामकृत्रिमधम्मिल्लां जवनस्तनशोभिनीम् । सुरूपां वीक्ष्य कामेन किंचिद्व्याकुलतामगात्

Transliteration

tāmakṛtrimadhammillāṃ javanastanaśobhinīm | surūpāṃ vīkṣya kāmena kiṃcidvyākulatāmagāt

Translation

അവളുടെ സ്വാഭാവികമായി അലങ്കരിച്ച കേശവും നവയൗവനസ്തനശോഭയും അതിസുന്ദരമായ രൂപവും കണ്ടപ്പോൾ അവൻ കാമവശനായി അല്പം മനോവ്യാകുലതയിൽപ്പെട്ടു।

Word by Word

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अकृत्रिम-धम्मिल्लाम्: with natural hair-tresses
• अकृत्रिम-धम्मिल्लाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकृत्रिम (प्रातिपदिक) + धम्मिल्ला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ताम्)

• जवन-स्तन-शोभिनीम्: beautiful with youthful breasts
• जवन-स्तन-शोभिनीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जवन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तन (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of ताम्)

• सुरूपाम्: very beautiful
• सुरूपाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वीक्ष्य: having seen
• वीक्ष्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय-प्रयोग; ‘having seen’

• कामेन: by/with desire (lust)
• कामेन: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; हेतु/करणार्थे

• किंचित्: somewhat
• किंचित्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किंचित् (अव्यय/सर्वनाम-निपात)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाण/अल्पार्थक निपात (somewhat)

• व्याकुलताम्: agitation, distress
• व्याकुलताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्याकुलता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक

• अगात्: went/entered (became)
• अगात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (aorist), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; prior speaker not explicit in this verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene forest clearing; Sāmavatī stands with naturally arranged hair and youthful radiance; Sumedhā gazes, momentarily shaken, his posture betraying inner turmoil.

Characters & Entities

• Sāmavatī
• Sumedhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a learned person can be disturbed by kāma; vigilance and inner discipline are required to uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is directly praised in this verse; it functions as narrative psychology within the Brahmottarakhaṇḍa dialogue.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; the focus is on inner agitation arising from desire.