Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

कन्यकां संपरित्यज्य तवान्वयविवर्द्धिताम् । यः करिष्यति तत्पूजामाहारः स्यात्स मातृषु

Transliteration

kanyakāṃ saṃparityajya tavānvayavivarddhitām | yaḥ kariṣyati tatpūjāmāhāraḥ syātsa mātṛṣu

Translation

കന്യയെ വ്യക്തിഗത അവകാശവസ്തുവായി കരുതാതെ, നിന്റെ വംശവർദ്ധിനിയെന്നു ധരിച്ചു ആരാണ് അവളുടെ പൂജ ചെയ്യുന്നതോ—അവന് മാതൃഗണങ്ങളുടെ പ്രസാദം ലഭിക്കും; അവന്റെ ആഹാരവും ജീവികയും സുരക്ഷിതമാകും।

Word by Word

• कन्यकाम्: the maiden/young girl
• कन्यकाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• संपरित्यज्य: having abandoned completely
• संपरित्यज्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+परि+त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having completely abandoned’

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• अन्वय-विवर्द्धिताम्: (her) who has increased the lineage
• अन्वय-विवर्द्धिताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्द्धित (कृदन्त; वर्ध् धातु, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समासः (अन्वयेन विवर्द्धिता = lineage-increased)

• यः: who (he)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• करिष्यति: will do
• करिष्यति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्-पूजाम्: that worship
• तत्-पूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तस्य पूजाम् = that worship)

• आहारः: food/sustenance
• आहारः: Karta/Pratipādya (Predicate nominative/प्रथमा-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आहार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be/may be
• स्यात्: Kriyā (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मातृषु: among the mothers
• मातृषु: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Śiva (continuing instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual scene where a devotee relinquishes possessive claim over a maiden, honoring her as lineage-blessing; Mātṛs appear as protective divine mothers bestowing sustenance and safety.

Characters & Entities

• Mātṛs (Divine Mothers)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Worship must be performed with detachment and dharmic intent; then divine protection extends even to one’s livelihood and well-being.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction belongs to the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Pādukā worship context within Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform the prescribed pūjā (to the Pādukās), with renunciation of personal attachment and proper recognition of the maiden’s role.