Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19
ब्राह्मण उवाच । सहस्रं याच्यते कन्या करोत्येकः करग्रहम् । वाङ्मात्रेण न तस्याः स्यात्पत्नीभावः कथंचन
brāhmaṇa uvāca | sahasraṃ yācyate kanyā karotyekaḥ karagraham | vāṅmātreṇa na tasyāḥ syātpatnībhāvaḥ kathaṃcana
Brahmana itu berkata: “Seribu orang boleh meminang gadis itu, namun hanya seorang yang melaksanakan upacara menyambut tangan (perkahwinan). Dengan kata-kata semata-mata, dia tidak akan menjadi isteri dengan apa jua cara.”
Brāhmaṇa (explicit)
Scene: A brāhmaṇa teacher speaks firmly, counting suitors metaphorically as many, but pointing to the single decisive act: the bride’s hand being taken in ritual marriage.
FAQs
Dharma is grounded in valid saṃskāra (rite); social-sacral bonds like marriage require proper ritual action, not mere speech.
None is mentioned in this verse; it is a dharma-clarifying statement within the Māhātmya narrative.
Karagraha (the formal taking of the bride’s hand) is indicated as the decisive act for establishing patnī-bhāva (wifehood).