Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

चयनानि बहून्यत्र कल्पसूत्रविधानतः । पृष्ठोपरि कृतान्यासन्निंद्रद्युम्न तदा त्वया

Transliteration

cayanāni bahūnyatra kalpasūtravidhānataḥ | pṛṣṭhopari kṛtānyāsanniṃdradyumna tadā tvayā

Translation

Hier wurden viele Altaraufbauten (cayana) nach den Vorschriften der Kalpa-Sūtras errichtet; und, o Indradyumna, damals bautest du sie auf meinem Rücken.

Word by Word

• चयनानि: piles/altars (heaps)
• चयनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter, nominative/accusative plural

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter, nom/acc plural (agreeing with चयनानि)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = indeclinable adverb ‘here’

• कल्पसूत्रविधानतः: according to the Kalpasūtra injunction
• कल्पसूत्रविधानतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्पसूत्र + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध): कल्पसूत्रस्य विधानम्; तस्मात् ‘-तः’ = ablatival adverb ‘according to/from the rule’

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन = Locative singular

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable ‘upon/above’

• कृतानि: made
• कृतानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Past passive participle, neuter nom/acc plural (agreeing with चयनानि)

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन = Imperfect, 3rd person plural

• इन्द्रद्युम्न: O Indradyumna
• इन्द्रद्युम्न: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन = Vocative singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) = indeclinable adverb ‘then’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन = Instrumental singular

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual attribution within Māheśvara-khaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indradyumna (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panorama of multiple Vedic altars (cayana) laid out according to Kalpa-sūtra rules; the speaker indicates they were constructed ‘upon my back,’ suggesting the Earth or a great being bearing the ritual field.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna
• Kalpa-sūtra
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual action must align with śāstra (Kalpa-sūtra), yet dharma also demands sensitivity to the beings and supports involved.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse says “here” (atra) without naming a tīrtha; the larger passage later highlights a sacred river’s merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references Kalpa-sūtra-based procedures for constructing yajña altars (cayanāni).