Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

प्रत्याह च विवाहऽस्मिन्कुमारीभ्रातरं विना । भविष्यति कथं विष्णो लाजहोमादिकर्मसु

Transliteration

pratyāha ca vivāha'sminkumārībhrātaraṃ vinā | bhaviṣyati kathaṃ viṣṇo lājahomādikarmasu

Translation

तो प्रत्युत्तरला—“हे विष्णो! या विवाहात कन्येच्या भावाविना लाजाहोम इत्यादी कर्मे कशी पार पडतील?”

Word by Word

• प्रत्याह: replied
• प्रत्याह: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति + आ + अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• विवाहे: in the marriage
• विवाहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कुमारीभ्रातरम्: the maiden’s brother
• कुमारीभ्रातरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमारी + भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कुमार्याः भ्राता (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition-like particle)

• भविष्यति: will be/occur
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (भविष्यत्काल/Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Prashna (Interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• विष्णो: O Viṣṇu
• विष्णो: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लाजहोमादिकर्मसु: in rites such as the parched-grain offering
• लाजहोमादिकर्मसु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाजहोम + आदि + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—लाजहोमः आदिः येषां कर्मणाम् तेषु (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/बहुपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Himālaya (Himācala/Acala)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Viṣṇu (Vāsudeva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn exchange in the wedding pavilion: a speaker addresses Viṣṇu with concern—without the maiden’s brother, how will the lājā-offering and homa proceed? Fire altar glows; priests and devas look attentive.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Himālaya
• Pārvatī (implied as kumārī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual dharma honors relational duties—family roles are not merely social, but integral to sanctified rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is singled out; the scene continues in Himālaya’s sacred domain during the divine wedding.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse explicitly mentions lājā-homa and allied wedding rites, traditionally requiring participation of the bride’s brother.