Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 65

Devanagari script

अविद्यारागविण्मूत्रलेपगंधविशोधनम् । एवमेतच्छरीरं हि निसर्गादशुचि विदुः

Transliteration

avidyārāgaviṇmūtralepagaṃdhaviśodhanam | evametaccharīraṃ hi nisargādaśuci viduḥ

Translation

Dieser Leib muss von der Unreinheit aus Unwissenheit und Anhaftung gereinigt werden — von Kot, Urin, Schmierflecken und Gestank. So erkennen die Weisen: Der Körper ist von Natur aus unrein.

Word by Word

• अविद्यारागविण्मूत्रलेपगन्धविशोधनम्: a cleanser of ignorance, passion, feces, urine, smears, and stench
• अविद्यारागविण्मूत्रलेपगन्धविशोधनम्: Karta (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविद्या-राग-विण्-मूत्र-लेप-गन्ध-विशोधन (प्रातिपदिक; अविद्या + राग + विण् + मूत्र + लेप + गन्ध + विशोधन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुपद-समासः—‘(एतत् शरीरम्) ...-विशोधनम्’

• एवम्: thus/in this way
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शरीरम्’

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• निसर्गात्: by nature/from natural constitution
• निसर्गात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निसर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• अशुचि: impure
• अशुचि: Sambandha (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण—‘शरीरम्’

• विदुः: know/declare
• विदुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative ascetic sits near a riverbank, washing hands while visualizing the body as a vessel of impurities; dark stains labeled 'avidyā' and 'rāga' rise like smoke from the body and dissolve in the light of discernment.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Recognizing the body’s natural impurity weakens attachment and supports dispassion and spiritual striving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the verse functions as a general teaching aimed at vairāgya rather than site-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is mandated; “cleansing” here is primarily contemplative—seeing through ignorance and attachment.