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

Jener Samen, die Essenz der sechs Bestandteile, ist an Kraft gleich; doch wenn er in einen unwürdigen Schoß geworfen wird, hat Yama dies über denjenigen verkündet, der so handelt.

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.