Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

पुरनार्योऽपि संतुष्टा वीक्षांचक्रुः सुकौतुकात् । गृहकार्याणि संत्यज्य समारूढा गवाक्षकान्

Transliteration

puranāryo'pi saṃtuṣṭā vīkṣāṃcakruḥ sukautukāt | gṛhakāryāṇi saṃtyajya samārūḍhā gavākṣakān

Translation

നഗരത്തിലെ സ്ത്രീകളും സന്തോഷത്തോടെ കൗതുകംകൊണ്ട് നോക്കി; ഗൃഹകാര്യങ്ങൾ ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് ജാലകങ്ങളിലേക്കു കയറിനിന്നു।

Word by Word

• पुरनार्यः: the town-women / city ladies
• पुरनार्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरनारी (प्रातिपदिक: पुर + नारी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (पुराणाः नार्यः)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• सन्तुष्टाः: pleased, delighted
• सन्तुष्टाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + तुष् (धातु) → सन्तुष्ट (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त, past passive participle) 'सन्तुष्ट'; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (qualifies subject)

• वीक्षाम्: a look, viewing
• वीक्षाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चक्रुः: they did/made
• चक्रुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• सुकौतुकात्: out of great curiosity
• सुकौतुकात्: Hetu (Cause/Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (सुन्दरं कौतुकम्)

• गृहकार्याणि: household duties
• गृहकार्याणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृहकार्य (प्रातिपदिक: गृह + कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गृहस्य कार्याणि)

• सन्त्यज्य: having abandoned
• सन्त्यज्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + त्यज् (धातु) → सन्त्यज्य (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: अव्ययभावे क्त्वा (Gerund/absolutive); पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• समारूढाः: having climbed/ascended
• समारूढाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + रुह् (धातु) → समारूढ (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तृविशेषण

• गवाक्षकान्: windows, latticed openings
• गवाक्षकान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गवाक्षक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narrator within the chapter

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Women of the city pause their chores, ascend to latticed windows and balconies, leaning forward with delighted curiosity as Sāmba passes below; textiles flutter, bangles glint, the street is alive.

Characters & Entities

• City women (puranāryaḥ)
• Sāmba (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It illustrates the powerful pull of darśana and fame—how attention gathers around a figure, setting the stage for dharmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not explicit; it remains within the chapter’s tīrtha-centered narrative environment (Puṇyahrada/Kuharavāsa region).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is descriptive storytelling.