Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

याज्ञवल्क्यस्यभगिनी कंसारीति च विश्रुता । कुमारब्रह्मचर्येण तप स्तेपे सुदारुणम्

Transliteration

yājñavalkyasyabhaginī kaṃsārīti ca viśrutā | kumārabrahmacaryeṇa tapa stepe sudāruṇam

Translation

യാജ്ഞവൽക്ക്യന്റെ സഹോദരി ‘കംസാരി’ എന്ന പേരിൽ പ്രസിദ്ധയായിരുന്നു; കന്യാവസ്ഥ മുതൽ ബ്രഹ്മചര്യം പാലിച്ച് അവൾ അത്യന്തം കഠിനമായ തപസ്സു ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• याज्ञवल्क्यस्य: of Yājñavalkya
• याज्ञवल्क्यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याज्ञवल्क्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• भगिनी: sister
• भगिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कंसारि: (named) ‘enemy of Kaṃsa’
• कंसारि: Samjñā/Predicate nominative (नाम/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस + अरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कंसस्य अरिः)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्ति/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विश्रुता: well-known, renowned
• विश्रुता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + श्रु (धातु) → विश्रुत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कुमारब्रह्मचर्येण: by (means of) celibacy from boyhood
• कुमारब्रह्मचर्येण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार + ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कुमारस्य ब्रह्मचर्यम्)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तेपे: performed (austerity)
• तेपे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सुदारुणम्: very severe
• सुदारुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दारुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तपः-विशेषण)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration from 174.5)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dwijas (twice-born sages/audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A young ascetic woman (Kaṃsārī/Kaṃsārikā), serene and resolute, practicing harsh austerities with the aura of brahmacarya—minimal possessions, matted hair, sacred thread motifs of discipline, and a forest-hermitage backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Yājñavalkya
• Kaṃsārī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Brahmacarya and tapas are upheld as powerful means of spiritual attainment, capable of sanctifying persons and, through them, places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as backstory within the Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya, leading toward the Kaṃsāreśvara-liṅga account.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The discipline of brahmacarya and the performance of severe tapas (austerities) are presented as exemplary practices.