Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

प्रथमं चैव नारीषु संस्कारैर्बीजवापतम् । बीजप्रक्षेपणादेव बीजक्षेपः स उच्यते

Transliteration

prathamaṃ caiva nārīṣu saṃskārairbījavāpatam | bījaprakṣepaṇādeva bījakṣepaḥ sa ucyate

Translation

ประการแรก ในสังสการที่เกี่ยวกับสตรี คือพิธี ‘หว่านพืชคือพืชพันธุ์’ (บีชวาปนะ) เพราะเป็นการวางเมล็ดพันธุ์ลงโดยตรง จึงเรียกว่า ‘บีชเกษปะ’ คือการโปรยเมล็ดพันธุ์

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-visheshana/Predicate (क्रमनिर्देश)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (first)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• नारीषु: among women/in women
• नारीषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन

• संस्कारैः: by rites
• संस्कारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• बीजवापतम्: sowing of seed
• बीजवापतम्: Karma/Predicative (विधेय/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीजवापत (प्रातिपदिक; बीज+वापत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बीजस्य वापः/वापनम्)

• बीजप्रक्षेपणात्: from the casting of seed
• बीजप्रक्षेपणात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीजप्रक्षेपण (प्रातिपदिक; बीज+प्रक्षेपण)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बीजस्य प्रक्षेपणम्)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphasis)

• बीजक्षेपः: seed-casting
• बीजक्षेपः: Karta/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बीजक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक; बीज+क्षेप)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बीजस्य क्षेपः)

• सः: that
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Same addressed listener in sequence

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic teaching scene: the rishi enumerates saṃskāras; symbolic imagery of seed-sowing as a metaphor—grain/seed in a ritual bowl, a sanctified household setting, understated and instructional.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Saṃskāra
• Bīja (seed)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma frames even procreation as a sanctified responsibility, initiated through defined rites rather than mere impulse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is part of a dharma exposition within Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The first procreative saṃskāra is referenced and named as bījavāpana/bījakṣepa (seed-placement).