Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

विषकन्योवाच । भर्तुरर्थे मया देवि कृतोऽयं तपौद्यमः । तत्किं तेन करिष्यामि सांप्रतं जरयावृता

Transliteration

viṣakanyovāca | bharturarthe mayā devi kṛto'yaṃ tapaudyamaḥ | tatkiṃ tena kariṣyāmi sāṃprataṃ jarayāvṛtā

Translation

ବିଷକନ୍ୟା କହିଲା—ହେ ଦେବୀ! ଭର୍ତ୍ତାଙ୍କ ହିତାର୍ଥେ ମୁଁ ଏହି ତପସ୍ୟାର ଉଦ୍ୟମ କରିଥିଲି; ଏବେ ବୃଦ୍ଧାବସ୍ଥାରେ ଆବୃତ ହୋଇ ଏହାକୁ ମୁଁ କ’ଣ କରିବି?

Word by Word

• viṣakanyā: the poison-maiden (Viṣakanyā)
• viṣakanyā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (viṣasya kanyā)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• bhartuḥ: of (my) husband
• bhartuḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• arthe: for the sake (of)
• arthe: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अर्थे = ‘for the sake/purpose’ (हेतौ)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• kṛtaḥ: done, undertaken
• kṛtaḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘done/made’

• ayam: this
• ayam: Visheshya (Correlative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tapaḥ: austerity, penance
• tapaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• udyamaḥ: effort, undertaking
• udyamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udyama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tat: then/that
• tat: Sambandha (Discourse deictic/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अव्ययवत् ‘then/that’ (सन्दर्भसूचक)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• tena: with that / by that
• tena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• kariṣyāmi: shall I do
• kariṣyāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• sāṃpratam: now, at present
• sāṃpratam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sāṃprata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• jarayā: by old age
• jarayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• āvṛtā: overcome, enveloped
• āvṛtā: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-vṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘covered/overcome’

Speaker

Viṣakanyā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged Viṣakanyā, austere and weary, speaks to the Goddess in a forest āśrama; her posture conveys surrender and uncertainty, with ascetic implements and a quiet hermitage backdrop.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣakanyā
• Devī
• Husband (bhartā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even sincere austerity can lead to doubt when life changes; the Purāṇic path brings such concerns before the Divine for resolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The question is asked within the sacred āśrama/tīrtha narrative of Nāgarakhaṇḍa, implying the place as a refuge for devotees seeking guidance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) undertaken with a specific intention (for the husband’s welfare).