Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

अवदातत्रिजन्मासवक्षविच्चाक्षरार्थवित् । सुदर्शनेति प्रथिता प्रिया तस्याभवत्सती

Transliteration

avadātatrijanmāsavakṣaviccākṣarārthavit | sudarśaneti prathitā priyā tasyābhavatsatī

Translation

അവൻ ശുദ്ധാചാരിയായ ദ്വിജൻ, വാക്യവിദനും അക്ഷരാർത്ഥവിദനും ആയിരുന്നു; അവന്റെ പ്രിയപ്പെട്ട പതിവ്രത സതി ‘സുദർശനാ’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധയായി—പവിത്രയും ദീപ്തിമയിയും ശ്രുതിവാക്യസാരത്തിൽ നിപുണയും—ആയിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अवदातत्रिजन्मा: of pure (noble) threefold birth
• अवदातत्रिजन्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवदात (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (having pure three births; i.e., of pure lineage)

• आस: was
• आस: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वक्षवित्: learned/knowing (a traditional epithet)
• वक्षवित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (knower of the Vedas/śāstra; lit. knower of 'vakṣas'—here as transmitted epithet)

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

• अक्षरार्थवित्: knower of the meaning of letters/syllables
• अक्षरार्थवित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + वित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (knower of the meaning of syllables/letters)

• सुदर्शना: Sudarśanā (name)
• सुदर्शना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन (नाम)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle)

• प्रथिता: renowned/known
• प्रथिता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + था (धातु) → प्रथित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (renowned)

• प्रिया: beloved (wife)
• प्रिया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अभवत्: became/was
• अभवत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सती: a virtuous woman
• सती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सती (प्रातिपदिक; सत्-स्त्री)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant, pure wife Sudarśanā stands beside her brāhmaṇa husband; she holds a palm-leaf manuscript, indicating akṣara-artha knowledge; the home is lit by a steady lamp symbolizing vāk and sattva.

Characters & Entities

• Sudarśanā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa praises virtue joined with learning—purity of conduct along with mastery of sacred language.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named; this is character and lineage description within the narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it describes the qualities of Sudarśanā.