Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

नाडीस्वेदप्रवाहे च कालवक्त्रानलस्थिते । एवंविधे गृहे गेही जीवो नामास्ति शोभने

Transliteration

nāḍīsvedapravāhe ca kālavaktrānalasthite | evaṃvidhe gṛhe gehī jīvo nāmāsti śobhane

Translation

في هذا البيت على هذه الهيئة، حيث تجري القنوات (النادي) وتفيض مجاري العرق، وحيث تستقر نار الزمان في فمه الملتهم—يا ذات الحسن—يقيم «ربّ البيت» المسمّى جِيفا (jīva).

Word by Word

• nāḍī-sveda-pravāhe: in the flow of channels and sweat
• nāḍī-sveda-pravāhe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāḍī (प्रातिपदिक) + sveda (प्रातिपदिक) + pravāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन

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

• kāla-vaktra-anala-sthite: situated in the fire of Time’s mouth (death)
• kāla-vaktra-anala-sthite: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + vaktra (प्रातिपदिक) + anala (प्रातिपदिक) + √sthā (धातु) → sthita (कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; क्त-कृदन्त (sthita = “situated”); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन; विशेषण

• evaṃvidhe: in such a kind (of)
• evaṃvidhe: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन; विशेषण (gṛhe)

• gṛhe: in the house
• gṛhe: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन

• gehī: the householder; the dweller
• gehī: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gehin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन

• jīvaḥ: the living being
• jīvaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; apposition to gehī

• nāma: named; indeed
• nāma: Sambandha (Appositive marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: “by name/indeed”)

• asti: exists/is
• asti: Kriya (Existence/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• śobhane: in the beautiful (one)
• śobhane: Adhikarana (Location-qualifier/अधिकरणविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन; विशेषण (gṛhe)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A translucent body-house with visible nāḍī-like channels; inside, a small flame labeled ‘Kāla’ burns near a mouth-like opening; the jīva appears as a tiny luminous figure seated within, looking toward a distant Śiva-liṅga/mahākāla form.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It highlights impermanence under Kāla and distinguishes the jīva from the body, encouraging spiritual identity beyond decay.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is named in this verse; it is a general metaphysical teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is contemplative, pointing to insight into time, body, and the indwelling jīva.