Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

काचिद्दृष्ट्वा महादेवं रूपयौवनगर्विता । उत्सङ्गे संस्थितं बालं विस्मृता पायितुं स्तनम्

Transliteration

kāciddṛṣṭvā mahādevaṃ rūpayauvanagarvitā | utsaṅge saṃsthitaṃ bālaṃ vismṛtā pāyituṃ stanam

Translation

ରୂପ ଓ ଯୌବନ ଗର୍ବରେ ଗର୍ବିତା ଜଣେ ନାରୀ ମହାଦେବଙ୍କୁ ଦର୍ଶନ କରି ନିଜ କୋଳରେ ଥିବା ଶିଶୁକୁ ସ୍ତନ୍ୟପାନ କରାଇବା ମଧ୍ୟ ଭୁଲିଗଲେ।

Word by Word

• kācit: a certain (woman)
• kācit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनिर्दिष्टा स्त्री (indefinite pronoun: 'a certain woman')

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having seen'

• mahādevam: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• mahādevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: महा + देव

• rūpa-yauvana-garvitā: proud of (her) beauty and youth
• rūpa-yauvana-garvitā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rūpa + yauvana + garvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: रूपेण/रूपस्य च यौवनेन/यौवनस्य च गर्विता (proud of beauty and youth)

• utsaṅge: in the lap
• utsaṅge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utsaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• saṃsthitam: situated/placed
• saṃsthitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; 'placed/situated'

• bālam: the child
• bālam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vismṛtā: forgot (became forgetful)
• vismṛtā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√smṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle) used predicatively; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'having forgotten/forgetful'

• pāyitum: to nurse (to give to drink)
• pāyitum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु, causative sense: pāyayati)
• Form: तुमुन् (infinitive), 'to make drink / to nurse'

• stanam: breast
• stanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: stana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīra context in Revākhaṇḍa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A youthful woman, adorned and self-assured, sits with an infant in her lap; her gaze is drawn away toward a radiant, ash-smeared Mahādeva appearing nearby, causing her to forget nursing.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Child (bāla)
• Daruvana women (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Attachment and vanity can cause one to neglect immediate dharma (care of a child), showing why restraint and humility are essential virtues.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative setting is Daruvana, presented within the Revā Khaṇḍa portion of the Skanda Purāṇa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes ethical duty (svadharma) within household life.