Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

अतोऽस्मिन्फेनसदृशे देहे पञ्चत्वमागते । शोकस्यानवकाशत्वान्न शोचंति विपश्चितः

Transliteration

ato'sminphenasadṛśe dehe pañcatvamāgate | śokasyānavakāśatvānna śocaṃti vipaścitaḥ

Translation

Therefore, when this foam-like body reaches its end and returns to the five elements, the wise do not grieve—for grief finds no rightful place.

Word by Word

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (Cause marker/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (हेतौ/तस्मात्-अर्थे)

• asmin: in this
• asmin: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• phena-sadṛśe: foam-like
• phena-sadṛśe: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phena (प्रातिपदिक) + sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; विशेषणम्; समासः—तत्पुरुष (‘phena-sadṛśa’ = foam-like)

• dehe: in the body
• dehe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• pañcatvam: the state of being fivefold (dissolution into five elements)
• pañcatvam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcatva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; भाववाचक-तद्धितान्त (त्व)

• āgate: when (it has) reached/attained
• āgate: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु) + āgata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; Masculine/Neuter; ‘having come/attained’ (dehe ... āgate)

• śokasya: of grief
• śokasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• anavakāśatvāt: because there is no scope (for it)
• anavakāśatvāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an-avakāśa-tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (an-avakāśa = ‘no room/opportunity’ + tva = abstract noun)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• śocanti: grieve
• śocanti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuc (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• vipaścitaḥ: the wise
• vipaścitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipaścit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (form used for plural in some usages; sense: ‘the wise’)

Speaker

Ṛṣabha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise elder consoles mourners beside a funeral pyre or riverbank, pointing to the elements—earth, water, fire, air, space—symbolically reclaiming the body, while the mourner’s tears subside.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣabha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Understanding the body’s elemental dissolution removes the basis for sorrow; wisdom replaces grief.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the emphasis is on philosophical clarity (jñāna).