Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तद्ब्रह्मण इहोत्पन्नः सिकताद्वयसम्भवः । निगमोक्तं पठञ्छृण्वन्निदं जीविष्यते कथम्

Transliteration

tadbrahmaṇa ihotpannaḥ sikatādvayasambhavaḥ | nigamoktaṃ paṭhañchṛṇvannidaṃ jīviṣyate katham

Translation

Born here from that Brahman, sprung from the union of the two ‘sands’ (male and female), even while reading and hearing what the Vedas declare—how can this being truly live wisely?

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha/Anvaya
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman / of the Veda
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• उत्पन्नः: arisen, produced
• उत्पन्नः: Karta (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्√पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सिकता-द्वय-सम्भवः: born from a pair of sand-grains
• सिकता-द्वय-सम्भवः: Karta (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिकता (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सिकताद्वयात् सम्भवः)

• निगम-उक्तम्: that which is stated in the Veda
• निगम-उक्तम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निगम (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, वच् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘उक्त’; तत्पुरुष (निगमेन उक्तम्)

• पठन्: reading
• पठन्: Karta (agent, participial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पठ् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले ‘reading’

• शृण्वन्: hearing
• शृण्वन्: Karta (agent, participial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘hearing’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• जीविष्यते: will live
• जीविष्यते: Kriya (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speaker

Lomaśa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative tableau: a human figure formed from elemental grains/sands, while a sage recites Vedic mantras; the figure looks conflicted, symbolizing knowledge without lived wisdom.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Veda (Nigama)
• Lomaśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere study and hearing of scripture is not enough; one must live the teaching with discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; the focus is on Vedic instruction and lived dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly endorses śravaṇa and pāṭha (hearing and recitation), but stresses their fruition in conduct.