Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

असृङ्मांसमयी जिह्वा सर्वेषामेव देहिनाम् । हस्तयोरोष्ठयोर्मेढ्रे ग्रीवायां षट् च कूर्चकाः

Transliteration

asṛṅmāṃsamayī jihvā sarveṣāmeva dehinām | hastayoroṣṭhayormeḍhre grīvāyāṃ ṣaṭ ca kūrcakāḥ

Translation

Bei allen verkörperten Wesen besteht die Zunge aus Blut und Fleisch. Und es gibt sechs «kūrcaka» (knotige, sehnige Bündel), gelegen in beiden Händen, in den Lippen, im Zeugungsorgan und im Hals.

Word by Word

• असृक्: blood
• असृक्: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदम्

• मांसमयी: made of flesh
• मांसमयी: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (मयट्) ‘made of flesh’

• जिह्वा: the tongue
• जिह्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; ‘embodied beings’

• हस्तयोः: of/in the two hands
• हस्तयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6/7), द्विवचन

• ओष्ठयोः: of/in the two lips
• ओष्ठयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6/7), द्विवचन

• मेढ्रे: in the penis
• मेढ्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेढ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• ग्रीवायाम्: in the neck
• ग्रीवायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; प्रथमा (1), बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable numeral form)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• कूर्चकाः: kūrcakas (tufts/knots; anatomical pads)
• कूर्चकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Diagrammatic human figure with highlighted six kūrcaka points: both hands, lips, genitals, neck; tongue shown as red-pink (blood/flesh) in a stylized cutaway, presented respectfully and symbolically.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It cultivates dispassion by highlighting the body’s material composition, supporting dharmic self-restraint and higher pursuit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a doctrinal description within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is anatomical/physiological exposition rather than a vrata or tīrtha rule.