Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

संतोषोऽप्युचितस्तुभ्यं देहं यस्य दृढं त्विदम् । शरीरं नीरुजं चेन्मे भवेदपि कथंचन

Transliteration

saṃtoṣo'pyucitastubhyaṃ dehaṃ yasya dṛḍhaṃ tvidam | śarīraṃ nīrujaṃ cenme bhavedapi kathaṃcana

Translation

Zufriedenheit ziemt dir wahrlich, dessen Leib fest und standhaft ist. Wenn doch irgendwie auch mein eigener Körper frei von Krankheit würde!

Word by Word

• संतोषः: contentment
• संतोषः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संतोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भाव अव्यय (even/also)

• उचितः: proper, fitting
• उचितः: Karta (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उचित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तुभ्यम्: for you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradāna (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• देहम्: body
• देहम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• दृढम्: firm, strong
• दृढम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (देहम्/इदम्)

• तु: but
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्यथा-बोधक अव्यय (but/however)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma/Subject complement (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karta/Karma (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• नीरुजम्: free from illness/pain
• नीरुजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग) + रुज् (प्रातिपदिक/धात्वर्थ) → नीरुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (‘without disease/pain’)

• चेत्: if
• चेत्: Clause linker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चेत् (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• मे: my, for me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी, एकवचन (enclitic); यहाँ षष्ठी (my) अधिक युक्ता

• भवेत्: might be, would become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अपि: even
• अपि: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-भाव अव्यय (even)

• कथंचन: somehow, in any way
• कथंचन: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: somehow/in any way)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa (deductive attribution)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sickly speaker looks toward a compassionate figure (sage/deity), palms joined, expressing longing for a pain-free body; the healthy listener embodies calm contentment.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True contentment is easiest when one is healthy; therefore one should value health and not postpone gratitude and restraint until conditions become perfect.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned here; the verse focuses on inner disposition (saṃtoṣa) and bodily condition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse expresses a longing for freedom from disease rather than prescribing a remedy or vrata.