Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततोऽसौ वीक्षते नारीं कन्यां वाथ तपस्विनीम् । अविकल्पमना भेजे रूपसौभाग्यगर्वितः

Transliteration

tato'sau vīkṣate nārīṃ kanyāṃ vātha tapasvinīm | avikalpamanā bheje rūpasaubhāgyagarvitaḥ

Translation

Kemudian baginda memandang seorang wanita—sama ada seorang gadis atau seorang pertapa wanita—lalu dengan hati tanpa kendali, baginda menyerah kepadanya, dibuai keangkuhan akan rupa dan tuah diri.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Temporal/sequence modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रमवाचक) — indeclinable of sequence

• असौ: that person/he
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वीक्षते: sees/looks at
• वीक्षते: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वीक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Present, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• नारीम्: a woman
• नारीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• कन्याम्: a maiden
• कन्याम्: Karma (Apposition to object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (विकल्पार्थक) — disjunctive particle (or)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/sequence particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनन्तर/प्रसङ्ग) — particle (then/and then)

• तपस्विनीम्: a female ascetic
• तपस्विनीम्: Karma (Apposition/descriptor of object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• अविकल्पमना: with unwavering mind
• अविकल्पमना: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविकल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; बहुव्रीहि (अविकल्पं मनः यस्य सः) — ‘one whose mind is without doubt’

• भेजे: resorted to/embraced
• भेजे: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रूपसौभाग्यगर्वितः: proud of beauty and good fortune
• रूपसौभाग्यगर्वितः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular; तत्पुरुष (रूपेण सौभाग्येन च गर्वितः) — proud due to beauty and good fortune

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator within Nāgara-khaṇḍa; exact named speaker not in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A proud youth gazes at a maiden/ascetic woman; the moment of moral slipping is captured—his posture leaning forward, her stance composed, the hermitage witnessing the imbalance.

Characters & Entities

• Tapasvinī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pride in beauty and fortune, joined with desire, leads to loss of discernment; dharma requires restraint and respect.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is identified in this verse; it advances the ethical storyline within the māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, portraying the rise of temptation.