Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

क्षणेक्षणे च तत्कुर्यां भुज्यते यद्युगेयुगे । इंद्रियाणि वशे यस्य शरीरं च दृढं भवेत्

Transliteration

kṣaṇekṣaṇe ca tatkuryāṃ bhujyate yadyugeyuge | iṃdriyāṇi vaśe yasya śarīraṃ ca dṛḍhaṃ bhavet

Translation

Moment after moment I would do that by which one may enjoy life age after age—if only my senses were under control and my body became firm.

Word by Word

• क्षणेक्षणे: at every moment
• क्षणेक्षणे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षण-क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; सप्तमी-द्विवचनस्य अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अर्थे—‘क्षणे क्षणे’ = ‘प्रति क्षणम्’ (adverbial: at every moment)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction: and)

• तत्: that (thing)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• कुर्याम्: I should do
• कुर्याम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• भुज्यते: is enjoyed / is consumed
• भुज्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive)

• यत्: which (that which)
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे—यद्-तद्-सम्बन्धः (relative pronoun)

• युगेयुगे: in every age
• युगेयुगे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: युग-युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; सप्तमी-द्विवचनस्य अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः; अर्थे—‘युगे युगे’ = ‘प्रति युगम्’ (adverbial: in every age)

• इन्द्रियाणि: the senses
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• वशे: under control
• वशे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘वशे’ = ‘अधीनतायाम्’ (in control)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्धे (genitive: whose)

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction: and)

• दृढम्: firm, strong
• दृढम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘शरीरम्’)

• भवेत्: may become / should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) narrating within Māheśvarakhaṇḍa (deductive attribution)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative ascetic or disciplined householder sits near a forest hermitage, senses withdrawn, body steady like a mountain; time is suggested by repeating sun/moon motifs to indicate ‘age after age’.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Lasting well-being arises from disciplined action supported by sense-control and steadiness of body and mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse teaches a universal dharmic principle of self-mastery.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the implied ‘practice’ is indriya-nigraha (restraint of the senses).