Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

षड्धातुसारं तद्वीर्यं समानं परिहाय च । विनिक्षेपे कुयोनौ तु तस्येदं प्रोक्तवान्यमः

Transliteration

ṣaḍdhātusāraṃ tadvīryaṃ samānaṃ parihāya ca | vinikṣepe kuyonau tu tasyedaṃ proktavānyamaḥ

Translation

إن ذلك المنيّ هو خلاصةُ العناصر الستة، وهو متساوٍ في القوة؛ غير أنّه إذا أُلقي في رحمٍ غير جدير، فقد أعلن يَما هذا القول في شأن من يفعل ذلك.

Word by Word

• षड्धातुसारम्: the essence of the six constituents
• षड्धातुसारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट्-धातु-सार (प्रातिपदिक; षट् + धातु + सार)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (षड्धातूनां सारम्)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (वीर्यं)

• वीर्यम्: semen/potency
• वीर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• समानम्: equal/same
• समानम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (वीर्यं)

• परिहाय: having set aside
• परिहाय: Sambandha (Prior action/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि-हा (धातु) → परिहाय (क्त्वान्त अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): ‘having abandoned/setting aside’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• विनिक्षेपे: in the depositing/placing
• विनिक्षेपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि-नि-क्षिप् (धातु) → विनिक्षेप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कुयोनौ: in a bad womb/evil source
• कुयोनौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु-योनि (प्रातिपदिक; कु + योनि)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (कुया योनि: = दुष्टा योनि:)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषबोधक-निपात (but/indeed)

• तस्य: of that/of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• प्रोक्तवान्: said/declared
• प्रोक्तवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्तवत्/प्रोक्तवान् (कृदन्त; क्तवतु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle, active sense); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having said/one who said’

• यमः: Yama
• यमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narration to sages; with cited authority of Yama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Yama as dharma-judge holding a noose and ledger, while a symbolic stream of luminous seed is shown being misdirected into a dark, thorny ‘ku-yoni’ motif; contrast with a bright, sanctified garbhādhāna scene in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reproductive power is sacred and should be used in dharmic, worthy contexts; misuse invites moral and karmic censure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a dharma warning supported by Yama’s authority.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is an ethical injunction about proper conduct rather than a ceremonial rule.