Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

बहवस्तन्न जानन्ति महामोहसमन्विताः । देहस्थ इव सर्वेषां परमात्मेव संस्थितम्

Transliteration

bahavastanna jānanti mahāmohasamanvitāḥ | dehastha iva sarveṣāṃ paramātmeva saṃsthitam

Translation

Viele, von großer Verblendung umhüllt, erkennen es nicht; obgleich es in allen weilt, als wohne es im Leib, gleich dem höchsten Selbst (Paramātman) selbst.

Word by Word

• बहवः: many (people)
• बहवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-विशेष्य (many persons)

• तत्: that (truth/thing)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• महामोहसमन्विताः: endowed with great delusion
• महामोहसमन्विताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामोह (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त, √अन्वि/अनु+इ, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; समासः—महान् मोहः यस्य/येन समन्वितः (endowed with great delusion)

• देहस्थः: situated in the body
• देहस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त, √स्था, क्त/निष्ठा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—देहे स्थितः (situated in the body)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha/Modifier (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश

• परमात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: Karta/Adhikarana (Subject-like/अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—परमः आत्मा (the Supreme Self)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha/Modifier (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• संस्थितम्: abiding/established
• संस्थितम्: Kriya-Visheshana/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √स्था (धातु) (क्त, निष्ठा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; (having been) established/abiding

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candrahāsya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa) implied by nearby address in the passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands on a Narmadā bank at dawn; the river mirrors a subtle inner light in the pilgrim’s heart-lotus, while shadowy figures (moha) pass by unaware.

Characters & Entities

• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred truth may be near and ever-present, yet remains unknown to those veiled by moha (delusion); discernment restores recognition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage concerns Candrahāsya-tīrtha; this verse underscores how many fail to recognize its greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on knowledge and recognition beyond delusion.