Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

वलित्रयांकिता मध्ये बाला मुष्ट्यापि गृह्यते । स्थलारविंदचरणा लतेव भुजभूषिता

Transliteration

valitrayāṃkitā madhye bālā muṣṭyāpi gṛhyate | sthalāraviṃdacaraṇā lateva bhujabhūṣitā

Translation

അവളുടെ നടുവ് മൂന്നു മനോഹര മടക്കങ്ങളാൽ അടയാളപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു; അവൾ അത്ര സുകുമാരി, മുട്ടിയിലുപോലും പിടിക്കാവുന്നതുപോലെ. അവളുടെ പാദങ്ങൾ നിലത്തിലെ താമരപോലെ, ഭുജങ്ങൾ ലതപോലെ അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു.

Word by Word

• वलित्रय-अङ्किता: marked with three folds (wrinkles)
• वलित्रय-अङ्किता: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वलि (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कित (कृदन्त; अङ्क् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (क्त) ‘अङ्कित’ = ‘marked’; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वलित्रयस्य अङ्किता)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

• बाला: the girl/maiden
• बाला: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मुष्ट्या: by the fist
• मुष्ट्या: Karana (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha/Particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) = ‘also/even’

• गृह्यते: is seized/held
• गृह्यते: Kriya (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: ग्रह् ‘to seize’

• स्थल-अरविन्द-चरणा: whose feet are like lotuses on the ground
• स्थल-अरविन्द-चरणा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थल (प्रातिपदिक) + अरविन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः: ‘स्थले अरविन्दवत् चरणौ यस्याः’ (पादौ कमलसदृशौ)

• लता: a creeper/vine
• लता: Upamana (Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: Upamana-marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानवाचक (comparative particle)

• भुज-भूषिता: adorned with arms (as ornaments)
• भुज-भूषिता: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भुज (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषित (कृदन्त; भूष् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (क्त) ‘भूषित’ = ‘adorned’; समासः तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (भुजैः भूषिता / भुज-भूषिता)

Speaker

Narrator (continuing description of Mohinī/devī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, graceful depiction: Mohinī’s slender waist with three folds, lotus-like feet on firm ground, arms like tender creepers; onlookers stunned, the ocean-churning apparatus faintly visible behind.

Characters & Entities

• Mohinī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text highlights the enchanting power of divine māyā, urging vigilance over the senses.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative remains embedded in the Vastrāpatha-kṣetra māhātmya (Prabhāsa), supporting its sacred storytelling.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.