Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

उवाच देशं तां पृच्छन्स्त्रीधर्मांश्च विशेषतः । शुभलाभोऽस्तु ते भद्रे मनसा कर्मणा गिरा

Transliteration

uvāca deśaṃ tāṃ pṛcchanstrīdharmāṃśca viśeṣataḥ | śubhalābho'stu te bhadre manasā karmaṇā girā

Translation

ఆ దేశాన్ని, ముఖ్యంగా స్త్రీధర్మాలను అడుగుతూ ఆయన పలికెను— “హే భద్రే! మనసా, కర్మణా, గిరా నీకు శుభలాభం కలుగుగాక.”

Word by Word

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपदम्

• देशम्: place/region
• देशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• ताम्: that (her/that one)
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन

• पृच्छन्: asking
• पृच्छन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• स्त्रीधर्मान्: duties of women
• स्त्रीधर्मान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्त्रियाः धर्माः)

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

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• शुभलाभः: auspicious gain/benefit
• शुभलाभः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + लाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (शुभः लाभः)

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ते: to you/for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive) / चतुर्थी (Dative) एकवचन; अत्र प्रायः चतुर्थी (for you)

• भद्रे: O auspicious lady
• भद्रे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• मनसा: by mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• कर्मणा: by deed/action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• गिरा: by speech/word
• गिरा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (implied by narrative flow)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned traveler or sage addresses a gentle woman, respectfully asking about the region and women’s dharma, offering a benediction for auspicious gain in thought, deed, and speech.

Characters & Entities

• Viśvāmitra (implied)
• Strī-dharma (concept)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is to be upheld in the threefold manner—mind, speech, and action—presented here as a blessing and ethical ideal.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The dialogue occurs within the tīrtha narrative of Adhyāya 42 (Nāgarakhaṇḍa, Tīrthamāhātmya), though the verse itself focuses on dharma discourse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse emphasizes ethical conduct and auspiciousness across thought, deed, and speech.