Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

परभुक्ता यथा नारी परभुक्तामिवस्रजम् । यच्च त्रिभुवनेष्वस्ति सारं तन्मम कथ्यताम्

Transliteration

parabhuktā yathā nārī parabhuktāmivasrajam | yacca tribhuvaneṣvasti sāraṃ tanmama kathyatām

Translation

As a woman enjoyed by another is to be shunned, and as a garland already worn by another—so too is this sovereignty. Tell me what the true essence is that abides within the three worlds.

Word by Word

• पर-भुक्ता: enjoyed by another
• पर-भुक्ता: Kartā-samānādhikaraṇa (Adjectival to nārī/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्त (कृदन्त; भुज्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परेण भुक्ता)

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamāna-marker (Comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपमानार्थ (comparative particle)

• नारी: a woman
• नारी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पर-भुक्ताम्: enjoyed by another
• पर-भुक्ताम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्त (कृदन्त; भुज्-धातोः क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (परेण भुक्ताम्)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamāna-marker (Comparison/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान-निपात (particle of comparison)

• स्रजम्: garland
• स्रजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• यत्: whatever (that which)
• यत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधकः (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• त्रि-भुवनेषु: in the three worlds
• त्रि-भुवनेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रीणि भुवनानि)

• अस्ति: exists, is
• अस्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सारम्: essence, best part
• सारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मरूपेण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘that’ (referring to sāram)

• मम: to me / my
• मम: Sampradana (Recipient as ‘to me’ sense/सम्प्रदानार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन

• कथ्यताम्: let (it) be told
• कथ्यताम्: Kriya (Request/आज्ञार्थक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘let it be told’

Speaker

Vajrāṅga

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vajrāṅga gestures toward a discarded crown and a wilted garland, comparing them to ‘parabhukta’ objects; his gaze lifts upward as he asks for the essence of the three worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Vajrāṅga
• Trailokya/Tribhuvana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discernment rejects borrowed pleasures and asks for the highest spiritual essence beyond status, enjoyment, and dominion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse is a philosophical pivot toward seeking the ultimate sāra (highest good).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is stated; the instruction is an inner discipline—turning from desire toward inquiry into the supreme good.