Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

भवतीनां स्मयं मत्वा रूपौदार्यगुणोद्भवम् । मयेयं दर्शिता तन्वी ततस्तु शममेष्यथ

Transliteration

bhavatīnāṃ smayaṃ matvā rūpaudāryaguṇodbhavam | mayeyaṃ darśitā tanvī tatastu śamameṣyatha

Translation

เมื่อเรารู้ว่าความทะนงของพวกท่านเกิดจากรูปโฉม ความเอื้อเฟื้อ และคุณธรรม เราจึงได้แสดงนางสาวผู้บอบบางนี้ให้เห็น; บัดนี้พวกท่านจักสงบลงเป็นแน่

Word by Word

• भवतीनाम्: of you ladies
• भवतीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्मयम्: conceit
• स्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययरूप (indeclinable); ‘having thought/considered’

• रूपौदार्यगुणोद्भवम्: arising from the quality of beauty and generosity (nobility)
• रूपौदार्यगुणोद्भवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप + औदार्य + गुण + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमास (रूपस्य औदार्यस्य गुणस्य उद्भवः/उद्भवम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier of स्मयम्)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष (1st person pronoun), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• इयम्: this (woman)
• इयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine/Pronoun), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• दर्शिता: has been shown
• दर्शिता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि भावः (shown)

• तन्वी: slender one
• तन्वी: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण/नाम (apposition to इयम्)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla/Anantaram (Sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/परिणामवाचक अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (but/indeed)

• शमम्: calmness, pacification
• शमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एष्यथ: you will attain/come to
• एष्यथ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future/भविष्यत्), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन (Plural); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (likely a divine/authoritative figure addressing celestial maidens in Revā-khaṇḍa narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The speaker acknowledges the listeners’ pride arising from their qualities and reveals a slender maiden as a living lesson; the listeners’ expressions shift from vanity to quieted awe.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even refined virtues can become pride; true nobility culminates in humility and inner peace.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Revā-kṣetra (the Narmadā/Revā region) within the Āvantya Khaṇḍa, though this verse itself is narrative rather than a direct tīrtha-praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is prescribed in this verse.