Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

कथं मे मानुषीगर्भे शापाद्वासो भविष्यति । मानुष्येण च कांतेन प्रभविष्यति संगमः

Transliteration

kathaṃ me mānuṣīgarbhe śāpādvāso bhaviṣyati | mānuṣyeṇa ca kāṃtena prabhaviṣyati saṃgamaḥ

Translation

‘ଶାପର କାରଣରେ ମୋର ମାନୁଷୀ ଗର୍ଭରେ ବାସ କିପରି ହେବ? ଏବଂ ମାନବ ପ୍ରିୟତମ ସହିତ ମୋର ସଙ୍ଗମ କିପରି ସମ୍ଭବ ହେବ?’

Word by Word

• कथम्: how
• कथम्: Question/Manner (प्रश्न/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb: ‘how?’)

• मे: for me / my
• मे: Sampradana/Possessor (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूप (Genitive/Dative singular enclitic)

• मानुषीगर्भे: in a human womb
• मानुषीगर्भे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुषी (प्रातिपदिक) + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मानुष्याः गर्भः)

• शापात्: because of the curse
• शापात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• वासः: dwelling/residence
• वासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मानुष्येण: with a human (man)
• मानुष्येण: Saha/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Conjunction (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कान्तेन: with a beloved/husband
• कान्तेन: Saha/Instrument (सह/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रभविष्यति: will arise/occur
• प्रभविष्यति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• संगमः: union/meeting
• संगमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Revatī (contextual, self-reflection within the narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Revatī in solitary anguish, hands raised in questioning; behind her, symbolic imagery of a womb/lotus and a distant human figure (kānta) appears as a fate-vision; atmosphere heavy with uncertainty.

Characters & Entities

• Revatī
• śāpa (curse)
• mānuṣī-garbha (human womb)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even exalted beings fear the bondage of human embodiment when driven by karma/śāpa; dharma urges humility and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is named in this verse; it is part of the larger Tīrthamāhātmya narrative arc.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly.