Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अतिसंक्षिप्तकेशा या अतिदीर्घातिवामना । उद्वाहयति यः कन्यां पुरुषः काममोहितः

Transliteration

atisaṃkṣiptakeśā yā atidīrghātivāmanā | udvāhayati yaḥ kanyāṃ puruṣaḥ kāmamohitaḥ

Translation

ଯେ କନ୍ୟାର କେଶ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ସଂକ୍ଷିପ୍ତ, କିମ୍ବା ଯେ ଅତିଦୀର୍ଘକାୟ ଅଥବା ଅତିବାମନ—ଏପରି କନ୍ୟାକୁ କାମମୋହିତ ପୁରୁଷ ଯଦି ବିବାହ କରେ, ତେବେ—

Word by Word

• अति-संक्षिप्त-केशा: with very short hair
• अति-संक्षिप्त-केशा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (पूर्वपद) + संक्षिप्त (क्षिप् धातोः क्त) + केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (having very short hair)

• या: who
• या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धार्थे (relative pronoun: 'who')

• अति-दीर्घा: very tall/long
• अति-दीर्घा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (पूर्वपद) + दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अति-वामना: very short/dwarfish
• अति-वामना: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (पूर्वपद) + वामन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (very short/dwarfish)

• उद्वाहयति: marries (takes in marriage)
• उद्वाहयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense in usage 'to marry off/take in marriage'

• यः: who (that man)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धार्थे (he who)

• कन्याम्: a maiden
• कन्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; यः इत्यस्य विशेष्य (apposition)

• काम-मोहितः: deluded by lust
• काम-मोहितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + मोहित (मुह् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-विशेषण (deluded by desire)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing narration; citing śāstric notion within the story)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: a man reaching toward a maiden while a sage/elder raises a hand in warning, holding a śāstra; the scene emphasizes moral tension—desire versus injunction.

Characters & Entities

• Kāma (desire)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The narrative contrasts kāma-driven action with śāstra-guided restraint, setting up the moral tension of the episode.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Indirectly tied to the Dīrghikā-saras legend within Śrīhāṭakeśvara-kṣetra; the tīrtha will later serve as the redemptive focus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it presents a cautionary rule associated with marriage choices.