Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

देवदूतो विमानस्थ इदं वाक्यमुवाच ह । शुद्धासि त्वं महाभागे चारित्रै र्निजगात्रजैः

Transliteration

devadūto vimānastha idaṃ vākyamuvāca ha | śuddhāsi tvaṃ mahābhāge cāritrai rnijagātrajaiḥ

Translation

ବିମାନରେ ଥିବା ଦେବଦୂତ ଏହି ବାକ୍ୟ କହିଲେ: 'ହେ ମହାଭାଗେ! ତୁମେ ନିଜ ଚରିତ୍ର ବଳରେ ଶୁଦ୍ଧ ଅଟ।'

Word by Word

• देवदूतः: the divine messenger
• देवदूतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (देवानां दूतः = messenger of the gods)

• विमानस्थः: standing in a vimāna
• विमानस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimāna + stha (प्रातिपदिक; √sthā स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (विमाने स्थितः = stationed in an aerial car)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: statement, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्मरण/निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• शुद्धा: pure
• शुद्धा: Visheshya-predicative (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• असि: are
• असि: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महाभागे: O greatly fortunate one
• महाभागे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् भागः यस्याः = greatly fortunate)

• चारित्रैः: by (your) conduct/virtues
• चारित्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cāritra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• निजगात्रजैः: born of your own body
• निजगात्रजैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nija + gātra + ja (प्रातिपदिक; √jan जन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (निजगात्रे जातैः = born from one’s own body)

Speaker

Devadūta (divine messenger)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A divine messenger appears in a celestial chariot above, addressing the woman: ‘You are pure, O fortunate one, by virtues born of your own conduct.’ The scene is luminous and affirming.

Characters & Entities

• devadūta
• vimāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True purity is grounded in character (cāritra), not mere appearance; dharma becomes self-evident and is affirmed by higher powers.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrtha associated with the sādhvī’s ordeal is being validated; its fame is explicitly predicted in later verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse provides divine certification of moral purity, a key basis for tīrtha-mahātmya.