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Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

कायः सुगन्धतोयाद्यैर्यत्नेनापि सुसंस्कृतः । न जहाति स्वकं भावं श्वपुच्छमिव नामितम्

Transliteration

kāyaḥ sugandhatoyādyairyatnenāpi susaṃskṛtaḥ | na jahāti svakaṃ bhāvaṃ śvapucchamiva nāmitam

Translation

Even if the body is carefully tended with fragrant waters and the like, it does not abandon its own nature—like a dog’s tail that will not stay straight even when pressed.

Word by Word
कायःbody
कायः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकाय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन
सुगन्ध-तोय-आद्यैःwith fragrant water and the like
सुगन्ध-तोय-आद्यैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootसु-गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—आद्य-शब्देन ‘इत्यादि’ (etc.)
यत्नेनwith effort
यत्नेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषणार्थ)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle), ‘even/also’
सु-संस्कृतःwell-refined/well-prepared
सु-संस्कृतः:
Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु (उपसर्ग) + √कृ (धातु) → संस्कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘कायः’)
नnot
न:
Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध (negation particle)
जहातिabandons
जहाति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√हा (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
स्वकम्its own
स्वकम्:
Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootस्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘भावम्’)
भावम्nature/character
भावम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन
श्व-पुच्छम्a dog’s tail
श्व-पुच्छम्:
Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
TypeNoun
Rootश्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dog’s tail)
इवlike
इव:
Upamā-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formउपमा-निपात (comparative particle)
नामितम्bent/forced to bend
नामितम्:
Upamāna-viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of upamāna/उपमानविशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Root√नम् (धातु) → नामित (कृदन्त, क्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘श्वपुच्छम्’)
Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative ascetic points to a dog’s tail being pressed straight yet springing back, while a well-adorned person perfumes the body—symbolizing the futility of mere external grooming without inner change.

FAQs

Cosmetic refinement cannot transform the body’s fundamental condition; lasting purification is inward.

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a general moral analogy aimed at cultivating discernment.

No ritual is prescribed; the verse critiques reliance on external beautification as a substitute for spiritual purity.

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