Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

छिन्नवृक्षलता यद्वत्पतिता सा तपस्विनी

Transliteration

chinnavṛkṣalatā yadvatpatitā sā tapasvinī

Translation

அந்த தவஸ்வினி, மரத்திலிருந்து வெட்டப்பட்ட கொடிபோல் கீழே விழுந்தாள்.

Word by Word

• छिन्नवृक्षलता: a creeper of a tree, cut off
• छिन्नवृक्षलता: Karta (Subject of simile/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छिन्न (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि, √छिद्) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + लता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः (वृक्षस्य लता; छिन्ना इति विशेषणपूर्वक)

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable of comparison: as/like)

• पतिता: fallen
• पतिता: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु) → पतित (कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fallen)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

• तपस्विनी: the ascetic woman
• तपस्विनी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (feminine nominative singular)

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (narrative voice continuing from Sūta’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic woman lies fallen, compared to a creeper severed from its tree; nearby a tree with a freshly cut vine visually echoes the metaphor; the scene is still, sorrowful, and dignified.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It portrays how sudden, painful knowledge can sever one’s inner support, urging compassion and timely restoration of steadiness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named in this verse; it is a poetic description within the broader māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.