Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

पंचभिश्चार्चनं भूतैर्विशिष्टफलदं ध्रुवम् । क्लेशकर्मविपाकाद्यैराशयैश्चाप्य संयुतम्

Transliteration

paṃcabhiścārcanaṃ bhūtairviśiṣṭaphaladaṃ dhruvam | kleśakarmavipākādyairāśayaiścāpya saṃyutam

Translation

L’adoration accomplie au moyen des cinq éléments donne assurément des fruits particuliers, sans aucun doute. Pourtant, elle demeure liée à des dispositions latentes, telles que les afflictions (kleśa), les actes (karma) et la maturation du karma, et autres semblables.

Word by Word

• पञ्चभिः: with five
• पञ्चभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); संख्याविशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अर्चनम्: worship, offering
• अर्चनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; √अर्च् + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक-नाम (verbal noun)

• भूतैः: by/with the elements/beings
• भूतैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विशिष्टफलदम्: giving special results
• विशिष्टफलदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशिष्ट-फल-द (प्रातिपदिक; विशिष्ट + फल + द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• ध्रुवम्: certain, assured
• ध्रुवम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण

• क्लेशकर्मविपाकाद्यैः: with afflictions, actions, ripenings, etc.
• क्लेशकर्मविपाकाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश-कर्म-विपाक-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); 'आदि'समासान्त (etc.)

• आशयैः: with latent impressions/dispositions
• आशयैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle: 'also/even')

• असंयुतम्: not connected/untainted
• असंयुतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-सम्युत (प्रातिपदिक; √युज् + क्त, with negation)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle)

Speaker

Narrator/teacher

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva shrine where the devotee offers the five elements: water libation, lamp flame, incense smoke, flowers/earth offerings, and fan/breeze symbolizing air; subtle overlay of ‘latent impressions’ as shadowy coils around the mind, indicating conditioned worship.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcabhūta (five elements)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual worship brings tangible results, but deeper liberation requires addressing karmic afflictions and latent impressions that bind the mind.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is named; the verse discusses a mode of worship and its karmic context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Arcanā (worship) using the five elements (pañcabhūta) is referenced as a potent form of worship.