Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

केवलं यावदर्थार्थं तद्रूपं सात्त्विकं तव । तत्ते रूपत्रयमिदं ब्रूहि नोपासते हि के

Transliteration

kevalaṃ yāvadarthārthaṃ tadrūpaṃ sāttvikaṃ tava | tatte rūpatrayamidaṃ brūhi nopāsate hi ke

Translation

But desire only to the extent of what is needed for one’s purpose—that is your sāttvika form. Tell me of this threefold nature of yours: who indeed does not worship and invoke you?

Word by Word

• केवलम्: only; merely
• केवलम्: Adhikarana (Manner/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbial use: only/merely)

• यावत्: as much as; up to
• यावत्: Sambandha (Limiter/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय/संबन्ध-शब्द)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (limit/extent: as much as)

• अर्थार्थम्: for the sake of gain/utility
• अर्थार्थम्: Karma (Object/Purpose/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थार्थ (प्रातिपदिक: अर्थ + अर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (उद्देश्य/प्रयोजन: ‘अर्थस्य अर्थः’/‘अर्थार्थम्’ = for the sake of gain); कर्म

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सात्त्विकम्: sattvic
• सात्त्विकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सात्त्विक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘रूपम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Demonstrative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश

• ते: to you; for you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचन; सम्प्रदान (dative: to you)

• रूपत्रयम्: the threefold form; triad of forms
• रूपत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूपत्रय (प्रातिपदिक: रूप + त्रय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpurusha: ‘रूपाणां त्रयम्’ = triad of forms)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (Demonstrative/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; निर्देश

• ब्रूहि: tell; speak
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation particle)

• उपासते: they worship; they attend upon
• उपासते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/अवधारणे निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• के: who (people)
• के: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक (interrogative)

Speaker

Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Manmatha’s sattvic aspect appears calm and luminous, holding a simple lotus rather than weapons of agitation; the speaker asks who is free from invoking desire, implying universality.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Manmatha (Kāma)
• Guṇas (sattva, rajas, tamas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sattvic desire is measured and need-based; spiritual progress includes regulating desire to necessity rather than indulgence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus remains on the nature of kāma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; ‘upāsanā’ is referenced generally as worship/propitiation.