Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

ददौ कन्यां सुदुःखार्तामश्रुपूर्णेक्षणां स्थिताम् । सन्निधौ वह्निविप्राणां तदा तेन विवाहिता

Transliteration

dadau kanyāṃ suduḥkhārtāmaśrupūrṇekṣaṇāṃ sthitām | sannidhau vahniviprāṇāṃ tadā tena vivāhitā

Translation

เขามอบหญิงสาวผู้มีความโศกเศร้าอย่างยิ่ง ยืนอยู่ด้วยดวงตาที่เต็มไปด้วยน้ำตา ต่อหน้าไฟศักดิ์สิทธิ์และเหล่าพราหมณ์ นางจึงถูกจับแต่งงานโดยเขา

Word by Word

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कन्याम्: the girl (daughter)
• कन्याम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुदुःखार्ताम्: greatly distressed with sorrow
• सुदुःखार्ताम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (अत्यन्त-दुःखेन आर्ता)

• अश्रुपूर्णेक्षणाम्: with eyes filled with tears
• अश्रुपूर्णेक्षणाम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अश्रु (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-समासः (अश्रुभिः पूर्णे ईक्षणे यस्याः)

• स्थिताम्: standing, remaining
• स्थिताम्: Karman (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• सन्निधौ: in the presence
• सन्निधौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वह्निविप्राणाम्: of the fire(s) and the Brahmins
• वह्निविप्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th case), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (वह्नयः च विप्राः च)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण-काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (Agent-instrument in passive/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विवाहिता: was married
• विवाहिता: Karta (Subject in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वह् (धातु) → विवाहित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Sūta (contextual continuation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija-sattamāḥ (assembled brāhmaṇas/sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Wedding scene before the sacred fire: the maiden stands with tear-filled eyes, head slightly bowed; brāhmaṇas chant; the groom/guardian proceeds despite her sorrow; flames illuminate faces, highlighting moral dissonance.

Characters & Entities

• Sacred Fire (Vahni/Agni)
• Brāhmaṇas (Vipra)
• Maiden (Kanyā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when ritual forms are present (Agni, brāhmaṇas), dharma is compromised if compassion and consent are violated.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the tīrtha-māhātmya frame remains in the chapter background.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Marriage performed in the presence of Agni and brāhmaṇas—core markers of the vivāha saṃskāra.