Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

प्रीणनं लालनं पोषं रंजनं मार्दवं दयाम् । कृत्वा वधूमुपगमेद्युवतीं प्रेमवान्पतिः । युवतौ कुसुमे चैव विधेयं सुखमिच्छता

Transliteration

prīṇanaṃ lālanaṃ poṣaṃ raṃjanaṃ mārdavaṃ dayām | kṛtvā vadhūmupagamedyuvatīṃ premavānpatiḥ | yuvatau kusume caiva vidheyaṃ sukhamicchatā

Translation

有情之夫当先令她欢悦，抚慰珍爱，护养照拂，使其心喜，并以柔和与慈悲相待，然后方可亲近其年轻的新妇。求乐之人当如拈花一般对待少女——轻柔而谨慎。

Word by Word

• प्रीणनम्: pleasing/caressing
• प्रीणनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्री (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक-नाम (verbal noun/gerundive noun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• लालनम्: fondling/nurturing
• लालनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लल् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक-नाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पोषम्: nourishment
• पोषम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• रञ्जनम्: delighting/entertaining
• रञ्जनम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रञ्ज् (धातु) + ल्युट् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्युट्-प्रत्ययान्त भाववाचक-नाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मार्दवम्: gentleness
• मार्दवम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्दव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• दयाम्: compassion
• दयाम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive: having done)

• वधूम्: the bride/wife
• वधूम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वधू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• उपगमेत्: should approach
• उपगमेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• युवतीम्: a young woman
• युवतीम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; वधू-समाना (appositional)

• प्रेमवान्: loving/affectionate
• प्रेमवान्: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेम (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पतिः’)

• पतिः: husband
• पतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• युवतौ: in/with a young woman
• युवतौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युवति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• कुसुमे: in/with a flower (i.e., delicate one)
• कुसुमे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle: ‘indeed/only’)

• विधेयम्: should be done
• विधेयम्: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + धा (धातु) + यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive: ‘to be done’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय (predicate adjective)

• सुखम्: happiness/pleasure
• सुखम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• इच्छता: by one desiring
• इच्छता: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान-कृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक (by one who desires)

Speaker

Rājñī (the Queen, concluding instruction by context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king (and by extension householders)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A husband offers ornaments/garlands, gently attending to his bride; the flower metaphor appears visually—he holds a lotus or jasmine, mirroring the delicacy with which he approaches her.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Happiness in married life arises from tenderness, care, and compassion—never from coercion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is glorified; the verse teaches gṛhastha-dharma (householder ethics).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite is prescribed; it prescribes dharmic conduct (gentleness, care) as an ethical discipline.