Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

कुमारिकापि या सम्यग्व्रतमेतत्समाचरेत् । सा पतिं लभते विप्राः कुलीनं रूपसंयुतम्

Transliteration

kumārikāpi yā samyagvratametatsamācaret | sā patiṃ labhate viprāḥ kulīnaṃ rūpasaṃyutam

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രന്മാരേ! ഏതൊരു കുമാരിയും ഈ വ്രതം വിധിപൂർവ്വം അനുഷ്ഠിച്ചാൽ, അവൾ കുലീനനും രൂപസമ്പന്നനുമായ ഭർത്താവിനെ പ്രാപിക്കും।

Word by Word

• kumārikā: a maiden/virgin girl
• kumārikā: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumārikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (even/also)

• yā: who (she)
• yā: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• samyak: properly
• samyak: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: samyak (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (properly)

• vratam: vow
• vratam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• samācaret: should practice/perform
• samācaret: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-car (सम्+आ+चर् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sā: she
• sā: Kartā (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• patim: husband
• patim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• labhate: obtains
• labhate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: labh (लभ् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• viprāḥ: O brāhmaṇas
• viprāḥ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रथमा (vocative sense)

• kulīnam: noble-born
• kulīnam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kulīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; पतेः विशेषणम्

• rūpa-saṃyutam: endowed with beauty
• rūpa-saṃyutam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃyuta (सम्+यु धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पतेः विशेषणम्

Speaker

Narrator (addressing viprāḥ within the discourse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra (Aśūnyaśayana-vrata context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A maiden completing the vow at a shrine, receiving blessings from brāhmaṇas; symbolic vision of a noble, handsome groom approaching with garland, under temple banners.

Characters & Entities

• Viprāḥ (Brāhmaṇas)
• Aśūnyaśayana (Vrata)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma links devotional discipline to auspicious life outcomes, portraying marriage as a fruit of merit and propriety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The vow’s teaching is embedded in the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra-māhātmya context of Nāgara Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A maiden is advised to perform the vow ‘samyak’ (properly), indicating correctness and sincerity as key requirements.