Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा तद्वीरचरितं वीरैरन्यैः सुदुष्करम् । ददौ मदनलेखाख्यां सुतां तस्मै महीपतिः

Transliteration

jñātvā tadvīracaritaṃ vīrairanyaiḥ suduṣkaram | dadau madanalekhākhyāṃ sutāṃ tasmai mahīpatiḥ

Translation

ആ വീരകൃത്യം അറിഞ്ഞ്—മറ്റു വീരന്മാർക്കും അത്യന്തം ദുഷ്കരമായത്—രാജാവ് ‘മദനലേഖ’ എന്ന തന്റെ പുത്രിയെ അവനു നൽകി।

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having known’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘that’ (referring to the deed)

• वीरचरितम्: heroic deed/act
• वीरचरितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर + चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: वीरस्य चरितम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• वीरैः: by heroes
• वीरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• अन्यैः: other
• अन्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘other’ (qualifying वीरैः)

• सुदुष्करम्: very difficult
• सुदुष्करम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास: सु(अत्यन्तम्) + दुष्करम्

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मदनलेखाख्याम्: named Madanalekhā
• मदनलेखाख्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मदनलेखा + आख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; समास: मदनलेखा-आख्या (नामधेय-विशेषण, ‘named Madanalekhā’)

• सुताम्: daughter
• सुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• महीपतिः: the king (lord of the earth)
• महीपतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समास: मह्याः पतिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic storyteller; likely Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setukṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, impressed by the deed, ceremonially offers his daughter Madanalekhā to Aśokadatta, with courtiers witnessing the honor.

Characters & Entities

• Aśokadatta
• the king (mahīpati)
• Madanlekhā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma honors valor: when courage protects society, righteous rulers reward it to strengthen order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Setukhaṇḍa (Setu Māhātmya) frame underlies the story; this verse focuses on royal recompense rather than a tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes a royal bestowal (marriage alliance) as recognition of merit.