Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

कामबाणहता चान्या बाहुभ्यां पीड्य सुस्तनौ । निःश्वसन्ती तदा चोष्णं न किंचित्प्रतिजल्पति

Transliteration

kāmabāṇahatā cānyā bāhubhyāṃ pīḍya sustanau | niḥśvasantī tadā coṣṇaṃ na kiṃcitpratijalpati

Translation

କାମବାଣରେ ଆହତ ଅନ୍ୟ ଜଣେ ନାରୀ ନିଜ ବାହୁଦ୍ୱାରା ସ୍ତନ ଯୁଗଳକୁ ଚାପି ଧରି ଉଷ୍ଣ ନିଶ୍ୱାସ ତ୍ୟାଗ କଲେ, କିନ୍ତୁ କିଛି କହିପାରିଲେ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• kāma-bāṇa-hatā: struck by the arrows of Kāma
• kāma-bāṇa-hatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāma + bāṇa + hata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (PPP) as adjective; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: कामस्य बाणैः हता (struck by Kāma's arrows)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• anyā: another (woman)
• anyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• bāhubhyām: with (her) two arms
• bāhubhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), द्विवचन

• pīḍya: having pressed
• pīḍya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pīḍ (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), 'having pressed/squeezed'

• su-stanau: (her) beautiful breasts
• su-stanau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su + stana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन; समास: सु (good/beautiful) + स्तन

• niḥśvasantī: sighing
• niḥśvasantī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: niḥ-√śvas (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'breathing/sighing'

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• uṣṇam: hot/feverish (words)
• uṣṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; (adjectival use, object of speech)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• kiṃcit: anything
• kiṃcit: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; अनिश्चित सर्वनाम (indefinite: 'anything')

• pratijalpati: speaks/utters
• pratijalpati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prati-√jalp (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) context

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A woman, overwhelmed by desire, crosses her arms to press her breasts, body leaning forward; her face flushed, eyes half-closed, exhaling hot sighs, rendered as a moment of involuntary passion in the presence of Mahādeva.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma (desire personified as arrows)
• Daruvana women (implied)
• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When passion dominates, it overwhelms body and speech alike; the verse urges mastery of impulses as a foundation of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The episode occurs in Daruvana within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative sequence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is descriptive, illustrating the force of kāma and the need for inner discipline.