Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 105

Devanagari script

अंगानां वर्धनादंबा वीरसूत्वे च वीरसूः । शिशोः शुश्रूषणाच्छ्वश्रूर्माता स्यान्माननात्तथा

Transliteration

aṃgānāṃ vardhanādaṃbā vīrasūtve ca vīrasūḥ | śiśoḥ śuśrūṣaṇācchvaśrūrmātā syānmānanāttathā

Translation

因她养育并令孩童肢体增长，故称“Ambā”；因她诞生勇士，故称“Vīrasū”。以侍奉照料幼儿之故，连婆母亦得称“母”；同样，若以恭敬礼敬一位女子，她亦在名分上成为母。

Word by Word

• अङ्गानाम्: of the limbs
• अङ्गानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• वर्धनात्: from (the act of) nourishing/raising
• वर्धनात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ (ablative of cause)

• अम्बा: (she is) mother
• अम्बा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• वीरसूत्‍वे: in bearing a hero
• वीरसूत्‍वे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरसूत्‍व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विषये/अवस्थायाम् (locative of respect/state)

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

• वीरसूः: (she is) a hero-bearing woman
• वीरसूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरसू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शिशोः: of the child
• शिशोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• शुश्रूषणात्: from serving/attending
• शुश्रूषणात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषण (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ

• श्वश्रूः: mother-in-law
• श्वश्रूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वश्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• स्यात्: would be/is to be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• माननात्: from honoring/respecting
• माननात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/अपाादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानन (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेतौ

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), contextually addressing the sages (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A domestic, tender scene: a mother (Ambā) nursing and strengthening a child; a respectful household where a daughter-in-law serves a child and honors the elder woman, transforming relationships into ‘motherhood’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Motherhood is defined by nurturing, courageous upbringing, service, and honor—these create sacred familial bonds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse focuses on household dharma and relational ethics.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal ritual; it prescribes respectful conduct—service (śuśrūṣā) and honoring (māna) within the family.