Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

अतोऽहं गतपत्नीको भुक्तभोगो न कर्हिचित् । इमां तवाग्रमहिषीं कामार्थं दीयतां मम

Transliteration

ato'haṃ gatapatnīko bhuktabhogo na karhicit | imāṃ tavāgramahiṣīṃ kāmārthaṃ dīyatāṃ mama

Translation

是故我——失却妻室，亦从未享受诸欲之乐——愿为欲求之故，请将你这位首席王后赐与我。

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): हेत्वर्थ/तस्मात् (therefore)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gata-patnīkaḥ: one whose wife is gone/widowed
• gata-patnīkaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (√gam, क्त कृदन्त) + patnīka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: 'gone wife'→'one whose wife is gone'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• bhukta-bhogaḥ: one who has enjoyed pleasures
• bhukta-bhogaḥ: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhukta (√bhuj, क्त कृदन्त) + bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• karhicit: ever/at any time
• karhicit: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: karhicit (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb): 'ever/at any time'

• imām: this (her)
• imām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tava: your/of you
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• agra-mahiṣīm: chief queen
• agra-mahiṣīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agra (प्रातिपदिक) + mahiṣī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय/विशेषणपूर्वपद: 'chief queen'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• kāma-artham: for (sexual) desire
• kāma-artham: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (purpose: 'for desire'); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial accusative)

• dīyatām: let (her) be given
• dīyatām: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'let (her) be given'

• mama: to me/of me
• mama: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Brāhmaṇa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The brāhmaṇa, eyes intent, gestures toward the queen; the queen recoils or lowers gaze; the king’s face hardens; courtiers react in shock.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa
• Bhadrāyu
• chief queen (agra-mahiṣī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Unrestrained desire can misuse religious authority; dharma requires self-control and respect for moral boundaries.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse presents a request that becomes a test-case for dharma rather than a rite.