Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

जराशोकसमाविष्टं कालवक्त्रानलस्थितम् । रागद्वेषादिभिर्ध्वस्तं षट्कौशिकसमुद्भवम्

Transliteration

jarāśokasamāviṣṭaṃ kālavaktrānalasthitam | rāgadveṣādibhirdhvastaṃ ṣaṭkauśikasamudbhavam

Translation

Enveloped by old age and grief, set within the fire of Time’s gaping mouth, shattered by passion and hatred and the like—this body is born of the six sheaths.

Word by Word

• जरā-शोक-समाविष्टम्: possessed by old age and grief
• जरā-शोक-समाविष्टम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जरā (प्रातिपदिक) + शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + समाविष्ट (कृदन्त; विश् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (जराशोकेन समाविष्टम्) + क्त (सम्+आ+विश्)

• काल-वक्त्र-अनल-स्थितम्: situated in the fire of Time’s mouth
• काल-वक्त्र-अनल-स्थितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + अनल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थित (कृदन्त; स्था धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कालस्य वक्त्ररूपे अनले स्थितम्)

• राग-द्वेष-आदिभिः: by passion, hatred, and the like
• राग-द्वेष-आदिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वेष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्व/तत्पुरुष (रागद्वेषौ आदि येषां तैः)

• ध्वस्तम्: destroyed, shattered
• ध्वस्तम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्वंस् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• षट्-कौशिक-समुद्भवम्: arisen from the six sheaths/layers
• षट्-कौशिक-समुद्भवम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक) + कौशिक (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त; भू धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु/तत्पुरुष (षट् कौशिकाः/कोशाः) + समुद्भवः (सम्+उद्+भू)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dramatic allegory: Time (Kāla) as a vast fiery mouth; within it, a frail human form beset by old age and grief; shadowy figures labeled rāga and dveṣa strike the body; layered sheaths suggested as concentric veils.

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time)
• Ṣaṭkośa (six sheaths)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The body is impermanent and afflicted by Time and passions; detachment supports the pursuit of liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the focus is philosophical instruction on embodied existence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None here; it is descriptive and contemplative rather than prescriptive.