Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

स्त्रीपुंसोर्यौवनं रूपं यदन्योन्याश्रयं पुरा । तदेवं जरया ग्रस्तमुभयोरपि न प्रियम्

Transliteration

strīpuṃsoryauvanaṃ rūpaṃ yadanyonyāśrayaṃ purā | tadevaṃ jarayā grastamubhayorapi na priyam

Translation

The youth and beauty of woman and man, once upheld by mutual dependence, when seized by old age, cease to be pleasing to either.

Word by Word

• strī-puṃsoḥ: of woman and man
• strī-puṃsoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक) + puṃs (पुंस्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), द्विवचन-रूप (genitive dual) — ‘of woman and man’; द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर) with dual genitive ending

• yauvanam: youth
• yauvanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yauvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — N/Acc sg

• rūpam: beauty/form
• rūpam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — N/Acc sg (appositional to ‘yauvanam’)

• yat: which
• yat: Sambandha (Relative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Relative pronoun (which/that)

• anyonya-āśrayam: mutually dependent
• anyonya-āśrayam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anyonya (प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — N/Acc sg; समासः अन्योन्यस्य आश्रयः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — Demonstrative pronoun (that)

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this way)

• jarayā: by old age
• jarayā: Karana (Instrument/Cause/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jarā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन — Instrumental singular

• grastam: overcome
• grastam: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gras (ग्रस्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — ‘seized/overcome’ (agrees with ‘tat/yauvanam/rūpam’)

• ubhayor: of both
• ubhayor: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन-रूप (genitive dual) — ‘of both’

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• priyam: pleasant/dear
• priyam: Kriya (Predicative complement/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन — N/Acc sg; predicate adjective

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A couple shown in two temporal layers: youthful, radiant forms in the foreground; behind them, the same pair aged, with softened colors and bowed posture; between layers stands a lamp before a Śiva shrine, symbolizing enduring refuge.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches that attraction based on youth and appearance is unstable; therefore one should seek enduring dharma rather than transient charm.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the instruction is ethical and contemplative rather than geographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse emphasizes insight into impermanence as a support for dharmic priorities.