Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

मंडलान्मंडलं कार्यं पूर्वेणेति विनिश्चयः । षोडशांतुलकं कार्यं मंडलात्तावदं तरम्

Transliteration

maṃḍalānmaṃḍalaṃ kāryaṃ pūrveṇeti viniścayaḥ | ṣoḍaśāṃtulakaṃ kāryaṃ maṃḍalāttāvadaṃ taram

Translation

A circle should be made after a circle, each following the previous—this is the settled rule. The gap from one circle to the next should be sixteen aṅgulas (finger-breadths).

Word by Word

• मण्डलात्: from a circle/diagram
• मण्डलात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन

• मण्डलम्: a circle/diagram
• मण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• कार्यम्: to be made/done
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be done)

• पूर्वेण: by the former (one)/according to the previous
• पूर्वेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; ‘पूर्वेण’ = by the former/previous (measure)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• विनिश्चयः: decision/settled rule
• विनिश्चयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनिश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• आन्तुलकम्: (a measure) āntulaka
• आन्तुलकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आन्तुलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाण/मानवाचक

• षोडशान्तुलकम्: a measure of sixteen āntulakas
• षोडशान्तुलकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षोडश (संख्या) + आन्तुलक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (measure of sixteen āntulakas)

• कार्यम्: to be made
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् (कृत्) → कार्य
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण

• मण्डलात्: from the circle/diagram
• मण्डलात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तावत्: so much/as much
• तावत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: परिमाणवाचक; समासपूर्वपद (in compound)

• अन्तरम्: interval/distance
• अन्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘distance/interval’

• तावदन्तरम्: an interval of that much
• तावदन्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावत् (सर्वनाम) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (interval of that much)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual ground being prepared: concentric circles carefully drawn with measured spacing; officiants with measuring cord/rod marking sixteen-aṅgula intervals; lamps and offerings nearby.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is upheld through exactness—sacred rites demand measure, order, and consistency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse concerns ritual measurement for the ordeal.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Successive maṇḍalas are to be drawn with a fixed spacing of sixteen aṅgulas between circles.