Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 84

Devanagari script

तस्या रूपं वयः कांतिर्वर्णितुं नैव शक्यते । नालापं कुरुते बाला सा केनापि समं विभौ

Transliteration

tasyā rūpaṃ vayaḥ kāṃtirvarṇituṃ naiva śakyate | nālāpaṃ kurute bālā sā kenāpi samaṃ vibhau

Translation

അവളുടെ രൂപവും യൗവനവും കാന്തിയും വർണ്ണിക്കാൻ കഴിയില്ല. ഹേ പ്രഭോ, ആ ബാലിക ആരോടും സമമായി സംഭാഷണം നടത്തുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• तस्या: of her
• तस्या: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• रूपम्: beauty / form
• रूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

• वयः: age / youth
• वयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

• कान्तिः: splendour
• कान्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

• वर्णितुम्: to describe
• वर्णितुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भावः (infinitive)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• एव: indeed / at all
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्ययम् (emphatic particle)

• शक्यते: is possible
• शक्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शक् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• आलापम्: conversation / speech
• आलापम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आलाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्

• कुरुते: does / makes
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• बाला: the girl
• बाला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचनम्

• केनापि: with anyone
• केनापि: Sahakarana (Instrument/सहकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचनम्; अनिश्चितार्थे अपि-योगः (indefinite: 'with anyone')

• समम्: equally / on a par
• समम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचनम्; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial: 'equally')

• विभौ: O lord
• विभौ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narrative voice within Pulastya’s account (contextual narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vibhū (addressed ‘O Lord’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous maiden-ascetic with restrained demeanor, standing apart in a mountain grove; her radiance outshines surroundings, while she remains silent and unapproachable.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True spiritual dignity is shown through restraint—radiance is paired with modest conduct and guarded speech.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The setting belongs to Arbuda (Mount Abu) within the Arbuda Khaṇḍa, a sacred mountain landscape in the Skanda Purāṇa’s Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it is descriptive, emphasizing character and demeanor.