Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

ऋचीक उवाच । तव कन्याऽस्ति विप्रेंद्र वरार्हा वरवर्णिनी । ब्राह्मोक्तेन विवाहेन तां मे देहि महीपते

Transliteration

ṛcīka uvāca | tava kanyā'sti vipreṃdra varārhā varavarṇinī | brāhmoktena vivāhena tāṃ me dehi mahīpate

Translation

ฤจีกะกล่าวว่า: ข้าแต่ราชา ท่านมีธิดาผู้เลอโฉมและคู่ควรแก่สามีผู้ประเสริฐ ข้าแต่เจ้าแผ่นดิน ขอจงยกนางให้แก่ข้าพเจ้าตามพิธีแต่งงานแบบพราหมณ์เถิด

Word by Word

• ऋचीकः: Ṛcīka
• ऋचीकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋचीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध), एकवचनम्

• कन्या: daughter
• कन्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• अस्ति: there is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• विप्र-इन्द्र: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• वर-अर्हा: worthy of a suitable groom
• वर-अर्हा: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर + अर्हा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्—‘वरम् अर्हति’ इति (worthy of a bridegroom)

• वर-वर्णिनी: of excellent complexion/beauty
• वर-वर्णिनी: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर + वर्णिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्—‘वरः वर्णः यस्याः’ (excellent-complexioned)

• ब्राह्म-उक्तेन: by the (scripturally) prescribed brāhma (form)
• ब्राह्म-उक्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म + उक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्—‘ब्राह्मेण उक्तेन’ (as prescribed for brāhma marriage)

• विवाहेन: by marriage
• विवाहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण), एकवचनम्

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्तिः (सम्प्रदान), एकवचनम्

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (आज्ञार्थ/Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• महीपते: O king
• महीपते: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘मही + पति’ (earth-lord)

Speaker

Ṛcīka

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gādhi (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Ṛcīka, a sage, formally requests the king’s daughter in Brāhma marriage; the king listens, weighing dharma and status.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛcīka
• Gādhi
• Brāhma Vivāha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Marriage is framed as a dharmic rite governed by śāstric forms; rightful procedure protects lineage and virtue.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to a sacred-place praise chapter, but this line is genealogical-dharmic narrative rather than direct tīrtha description.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Brāhma-vivāha: the ‘Brāhma’ form of marriage, performed per scriptural injunctions.