Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

उमेव मांगल्यवती दमयंतीव रूपिणी । भारतीव कलाभिज्ञा लक्ष्मीरिव महागुणा

Transliteration

umeva māṃgalyavatī damayaṃtīva rūpiṇī | bhāratīva kalābhijñā lakṣmīriva mahāguṇā

Translation

นางเป็นมงคลดุจพระอุมา งามดุจนางทมยันตี เชี่ยวชาญศิลปวิทยาดุจภารตี (พระสรัสวดี) และเปี่ยมด้วยคุณธรรมยิ่งใหญ่ดุจพระลักษมี

Word by Word

• उमा: Umā
• उमा: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपमान (as standard of comparison)

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम्

• मांगल्यवती: auspicious
• मांगल्यवती: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माङ्गल्यवत्/मांगल्यवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘-वत्’ प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• दमयंती: Damayantī
• दमयंती: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दमयन्ती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपमान

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम्

• रूपिणी: beautiful/possessing form
• रूपिणी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; गुणवाचक-विशेषणम्

• भारती: Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)
• भारती: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भारती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपमान (Sarasvatī)

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम्

• कलाभिज्ञा: skilled in the arts
• कलाभिज्ञा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कला + अभिज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: ‘कलासु अभिज्ञा’ (skilled in arts)

• लक्ष्मीः: Lakṣmī
• लक्ष्मीः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपमान

• इव: like
• इव: Upama (Comparison marker/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्ययम्

• महागुणा: of great virtues
• महागुणा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः: ‘महान्तः गुणाः यस्याः’

Speaker

A learned Brahmin (continuing the courtly description)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A poetic portrait of the girl as a composite of four divine/ideal figures: Umā’s auspicious glow, Damayantī’s beauty, Sarasvatī’s artistry, Lakṣmī’s virtues—shown as symbolic attributes around her (lotus, vīṇā, auspicious marks).

Characters & Entities

• Umā (Pārvatī)
• Damayantī
• Bhāratī (Sarasvatī)
• Lakṣmī
• Sīmaṃtinī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The feminine ideal is celebrated as a convergence of auspiciousness, beauty, knowledge, and virtue—qualities honored as divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is an encomium (praise) through divine comparisons.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it provides a laudatory characterization using archetypes of revered women and goddesses.