Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच । एषा ख्याता खगश्रेष्ठ लोकेऽस्मिन्वृद्धकन्यका । शांडिलीनाम सर्वज्ञा ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणा

Transliteration

śrībhagavānuvāca | eṣā khyātā khagaśreṣṭha loke'sminvṛddhakanyakā | śāṃḍilīnāma sarvajñā brahmacaryaparāyaṇā

Translation

พระผู้มีพระภาคตรัสว่า: “โอ้ผู้ประเสริฐในหมู่นก นางเป็นที่เลื่องลือในโลกนี้ว่า ‘วฤทธกนยกา’ คือ ‘สาวชรา’ นามของนางคือ ศาณฑิลี ผู้รอบรู้ และตั้งมั่นในพรหมจรรย์วัตร”

Word by Word

• श्रीभगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• श्रीभगवान्: Karta (Speaker/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + भगवान् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (श्रीमान् भगवान्); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• एषा: this (woman)
• एषा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ख्याता: is renowned
• ख्याता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-विशेष्यभाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• खगश्रेष्ठ: O best of birds
• खगश्रेष्ठ: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खग + श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (खगानां श्रेष्ठः); पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे (contextual), सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वृद्धकन्यका: an aged maiden
• वृद्धकन्यका: Karta (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध + कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (वृद्धा कन्यका); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शाण्डिली: Śāṇḍilī
• शाण्डिली: Karta (Apposition/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाण्डिली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक (quotative/name-marker: 'by name')

• सर्वज्ञा: all-knowing
• सर्वज्ञा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सर्वं जानाति इति); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (of Śāṇḍilī)

• ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणा: devoted to celibacy
• ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मचर्ये परायणा); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śrī Bhagavān (Janārdana/Viṣṇu)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛddhakanyakā (Śāṇḍilī) tradition (local saint-mahātmyā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Garuḍa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Viṣṇu introduces the woman by name: Śāṇḍilī, the famed Vṛddhakanyakā—an elderly ascetic with maidenly purity; her posture is upright, eyes calm, aura bright, suggesting lifelong brahmacarya.

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Bhagavān (Viṣṇu)
• Garuḍa
• Śāṇḍilī
• Vṛddhakanyakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Brahmacarya, upheld with steadfastness, becomes a celebrated spiritual power worthy of universal renown.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces the saintly figure within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative; the tīrtha’s name is not specified in this line alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A vow-based discipline is highlighted: brahmacarya (celibate restraint), presented as her defining observance.