Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

केवलं यावदर्थार्थं तद्रूपं सात्त्विकं तव । तत्ते रूपत्रयमिदं ब्रूहि नोपासते हि के

Transliteration

kevalaṃ yāvadarthārthaṃ tadrūpaṃ sāttvikaṃ tava | tatte rūpatrayamidaṃ brūhi nopāsate hi ke

Translation

Doch das Begehren, das nur so weit reicht, wie es für den Zweck nötig ist—das ist deine sāttvika-Gestalt. Sprich von dieser dreifachen Natur: Wer würde dich denn nicht verehren (nicht anrufen)?

Word by Word

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial use: only/merely)

• यावत्: as much as; up to
• यावत्: Sambandha (Limiter/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (limit/extent: as much as)

• अर्थार्थम्: for the sake of gain/utility
• अर्थार्थम्: Karma (Object/Purpose/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थार्थ (प्रातिपदिक: अर्थ + अर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन: ‘अर्थस्य अर्थः’/‘अर्थार्थम्’ = for the sake of gain); कर्म

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सात्त्विकम्: sattvic
• सात्त्विकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Demonstrative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश

• ते: to you; for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative: to you)

• रूपत्रयम्: the threefold form; triad of forms
• रूपत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूपत्रय (प्रातिपदिक: रूप + त्रय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpurusha: ‘रूपाणां त्रयम्’ = triad of forms)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश

• ब्रूहि: tell; speak
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• उपासते: they worship; they attend upon
• उपासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अवधारणे निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• के: who (people)
• के: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

Speaker

Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Manmatha’s sattvic aspect appears calm and luminous, holding a simple lotus rather than weapons of agitation; the speaker asks who is free from invoking desire, implying universality.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Manmatha (Kāma)
• Guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sattvic desire is measured and need-based; spiritual progress includes regulating desire to necessity rather than indulgence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus remains on the nature of kāma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; ‘upāsanā’ is referenced generally as worship/propitiation.