Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

इति वीरवचः श्रुत्वा बृहत्कटिपयोधरा । सव्रीडं सस्मितापांगनिर्मोक्षमिदमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

iti vīravacaḥ śrutvā bṛhatkaṭipayodharā | savrīḍaṃ sasmitāpāṃganirmokṣamidamabravīt

Translation

വീരന്റെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട്, വിശാല നിതംബവും പുഷ്ടസ്തനങ്ങളും ഉള്ള ആ കന്യ, ലജ്ജയോടെ മന്ദഹാസവും പാർശ്വദൃഷ്ടിയുടെ മൃദുത്വവും ചേർത്ത് ഇങ്ങനെ പറഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• वीरवचः: the hero’s words
• वीरवचः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर (प्रातिपदिक) + वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: वीरस्य वचः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• बृहत्कटिपयोधरा: she who had a broad waist and breasts
• बृहत्कटिपयोधरा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बृहत् (प्रातिपदिक) + कटि (प्रातिपदिक) + पयोधर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास (बहुव्रीहि): बृहती कटिः पयोधराश्च यस्याः सा; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सव्रीडम्: with modesty
• सव्रीडम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्रीडा (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्गार्थ)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव: व्रीडया सह (with modesty); क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• सस्मितापाङ्गनिर्मोक्षम्: with a smiling sidelong glance
• सस्मितापाङ्गनिर्मोक्षम्: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मित (प्रातिपदिक) + अपाङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + निर्मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्गार्थ)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव: स्मितेन सह अपाङ्गनिर्मोक्षः (a side-glance accompanied by a smile); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (वचनस्य कर्म)

• अब्रवीत्: she said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (introducing the Nāga maiden’s reply)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close scene of the nāga maiden turning with modest smile and sidelong glance, poised to narrate the origin of the liṅga; the hero listens respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Suhṛdaya
• Nāgakanyā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Respectful questioning and receptivity open the way for sacred instruction and revelation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not named in this verse; it serves as a transition into an explanatory response about the sacred liṅga-site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.