Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55
नाशकं वदनं भद्र तथा दर्शयितुं निजम् । कामार्तोतीव तां सुप्तामर्वाग्निशि तदाहरम्
nāśakaṃ vadanaṃ bhadra tathā darśayituṃ nijam | kāmārtotīva tāṃ suptāmarvāgniśi tadāharam
اے نیک بخت! میں اس طرح اپنا چہرہ دکھا نہ سکا۔ خواہشِ عشق سے بے قرار ہو کر میں نے رات کے وقت، جب وہ سو رہی تھی، اسے اٹھا لیا۔
Narrator (first-person within the story; embedded narration inside the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa discourse)
Listener: Addressed as ‘bhadra’ (O good one).
Scene: At night, under dim moonlight, the man stealthily lifts the sleeping maiden from her bed; shadows, a half-open door, and a quiet courtyard convey secrecy; his face shows turmoil—shame and desire intertwined.
FAQs
Desire that overrides dharma leads to harmful acts; self-restraint is praised as the protector of honor and well-being.
No tīrtha is mentioned.
None; it narrates an impulsive act driven by kāma.