Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

अतिथिरुवाच । साध्वबालमते बाल कमठैतत्त्वयोच्यते । शरीरलक्षणं श्रोतुं पुनरिच्छामि तद्वद

Transliteration

atithiruvāca | sādhvabālamate bāla kamaṭhaitattvayocyate | śarīralakṣaṇaṃ śrotuṃ punaricchāmi tadvada

Translation

Atithi said: O child Kamaṭha, your teaching on the principles (tattva) is well-suited to a simple mind. I wish again to hear the characteristics of the body; tell me that.

Word by Word

• अतिथिः: the guest (Atithi)
• अतिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Perfect, 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• साधु: good; well said
• साधु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रशंसार्थक-अव्यय (approbative particle) — ‘well!/good!’

• अबालमते: O one of mature (non-childish) mind
• अबालमते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + बालमति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (प्रथमा-सम्बोधन), एकवचन — Feminine, Vocative, Singular; ‘O (one) of not-childish intellect’

• बाल: O boy
• बाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• कमठ: Kamaṭha
• कमठ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (वक्ता-नाम) — Masculine, Nominative, Singular (speaker’s name)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• तत्त्वया: by the truth; with the principle
• तत्त्वया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• उच्यते: is said; is spoken
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive) — Present, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada, Passive

• शरीरलक्षणम्: the characteristics of the body
• शरीरलक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शरीरस्य लक्षणम्)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) → श्रोतुम् (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय, कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive) — ‘to hear’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-अव्यय (adverb) — ‘again’

• इच्छामि: I wish; I desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Present, 1st person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• वद: speak; tell
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperative, 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

Speaker

Atithi

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Kamaṭha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Atithi respectfully addresses the youthful teacher Kamaṭha, requesting a clearer restatement about the body’s characteristics; a calm hermitage or forest classroom setting.

Characters & Entities

• Atithi
• Kamaṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Humility and inquiry are praised: one should repeatedly seek clear teaching on the body and reality to progress spiritually.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this opens a doctrinal dialogue rather than a site-mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a request for instruction.