Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

गोपकन्यां च तां ज्ञात्वा गोश्च वक्त्रेण पद्मजः । प्रवेश्याकर्षयामास गुह्येन च ततः परम्

Transliteration

gopakanyāṃ ca tāṃ jñātvā gośca vaktreṇa padmajaḥ | praveśyākarṣayāmāsa guhyena ca tataḥ param

Translation

ครั้นทรงทราบว่านางนั้นเป็นธิดาคนเลี้ยงโค ปัทมชะ (พระพรหม) จึงให้นางเข้าไปทางปากโค แล้วภายหลังทรงดึงนางเข้าหาพระองค์ด้วยอุบายอันลี้ลับ

Word by Word

• गोपकन्याम्: the cowherd maiden
• गोपकन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gopa (प्रातिपदिक) + kanyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ज्ञात्वा: having recognized
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having known/recognized'

• गोः: of a cow
• गोः: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• वक्त्रेण: with the mouth
• वक्त्रेण: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaktra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पद्मजः: Padmaja (Brahmā)
• पद्मजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (locative/genitive sense: 'born from the lotus'), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रवेश्य: having inserted/caused to enter
• प्रवेश्य: Kriya (Gerundial action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-viś (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund in -ya), 'having caused to enter / having inserted'

• आकर्षयामास: pulled/drew
• आकर्षयामास: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-karṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद; परिप्रयोग (periphrastic perfect sense)

• गुह्येन: with the secret part (genitals)
• गुह्येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (sequencing adverb)

• परम्: afterwards/further
• परम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative: 'afterwards/further')

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice; likely Sūta-style narration within Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā (Padmaja) recognizes a gopa-kanyā; a sacred cow’s mouth becomes a liminal gateway; the maiden is drawn inward by an unseen ‘guhya’ force, suggesting māyā and transmutation.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Padmaja)
• Gāyatrī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It uses symbolic imagery to connect ritual power, secrecy, and social-sacred order—elements that Purāṇas often employ to ground tīrtha traditions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is mythic groundwork within the chapter; the tīrtha identification is typically provided by the surrounding māhātmya passage.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse describes an extraordinary, ‘guhya’ (esoteric) narrative action.