Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

मा पुत्रि साहसं कार्षीस्तपोऽर्थं त्वं कथञ्चन । बाला त्वं सुकुमारांगी सदैव सुखभागिनी

Transliteration

mā putri sāhasaṃ kārṣīstapo'rthaṃ tvaṃ kathañcana | bālā tvaṃ sukumārāṃgī sadaiva sukhabhāginī

Translation

Wahai puteriku, janganlah engkau melakukan perbuatan terburu-buru demi tapa. Engkau masih gadis muda, bertubuh lembut, dan selayaknya sentiasa berbahagian dalam kesenangan.

Word by Word

• मा: do not
• मा: Avyaya (Prohibition/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक निपात (prohibitive particle)

• पुत्रि: O daughter
• पुत्रि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• साहसं: rash act/temerity
• साहसं: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साहस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कार्षीः: you should do/make
• कार्षीः: Kriya (Prohibited action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist; prohibitive with मा), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तपः: of penance
• तपः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (अर्थं-सम्बन्धे)

• अर्थं: for the sake/purpose
• अर्थं: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• त्वं: you
• त्वं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कथञ्चन: in any way (at all)
• कथञ्चन: Avyaya (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथञ्चन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/निषेध-बलवर्धक (adverb: 'in any way/at all')

• बाला: young/child
• बाला: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (त्वम्)

• त्वं: you
• त्वं: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सुकुमाराङ्गी: delicate-limbed
• सुकुमाराङ्गी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-कुमार-अङ्गी (प्रातिपदिक); सु + कुमार + अङ्गी
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (सुकुमाराणि अङ्गानि यस्याः)

• सदैव: always
• सदैव: Avyaya (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा-एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• सुखभागिनी: fortunate/partaker of happiness
• सुखभागिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख-भागिनी (प्रातिपदिक); सुख + भागिनी (भज्-धातु से)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सुखस्य भागिनी)

Speaker

Mṛgāvatī

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ratnāvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Mṛgāvatī pleads: ‘Do not be rash for tapas; you are young and delicate, meant for comfort.’ Her hand reaches toward Ratnāvatī in protective affection.

Characters & Entities

• Mṛgāvatī
• Ratnāvatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma values tapas, but also insists on appropriateness—discipline should match one’s capacity and life-stage.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerity (tapas) is referenced, but the instruction here is cautionary rather than prescriptive.