Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

परस्त्रीद्रव्यसंकल्पश्चेतसानिष्टचिंतनम् । अकार्याभिनिवेशश्च चतुर्द्धा कर्म मानसम्

Transliteration

parastrīdravyasaṃkalpaścetasāniṣṭaciṃtanam | akāryābhiniveśaśca caturddhā karma mānasam

Translation

L’action mentale est quadruple : convoiter l’épouse d’autrui ou les biens d’autrui ; nourrir des pensées nuisibles ; et s’attacher avec obstination à ce qui ne doit pas être fait.

Word by Word

• परस्त्रीद्रव्यसंकल्पः: intention regarding another’s woman or property
• परस्त्रीद्रव्यसंकल्पः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Member of enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + स्त्री + द्रव्य + संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परस्याः स्त्रियाः द्रव्यस्य वा संकल्पः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/श्रृङ्खला)

• चेतसा: by the mind
• चेतसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अनिष्टचिन्तनम्: thinking of what is undesirable/evil
• अनिष्टचिन्तनम्: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Member of enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनिष्ट + चिन्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—अनिष्टं चिन्तनम् (कर्मधारय)

• अकार्याभिनिवेशः: fixation on improper acts
• अकार्याभिनिवेशः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Member of enumeration)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकार्य + अभिनिवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—अकार्ये अभिनिवेशः (सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चतुर्धा: fourfold
• चतुर्धा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + धा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb): ‘चार प्रकारेण’

• कर्म: action
• कर्म: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मानसम्: mental
• मानसम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (कर्म)

Speaker

Mahākāla

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahākāla-kṣetra (Ujjayinī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Four mental ‘currents’ are depicted as subtle thought-forms around a human figure: (1) covetous gaze toward wealth, (2) illicit desire, (3) dark cloud of harmful brooding, (4) iron chain symbolizing obstinate fixation—Mahākāla points to the mind as the source.

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sin begins in the mind—through covetous intention, harmful rumination, and stubborn attraction to the forbidden.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse is a general dharma-teaching on inner conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the implied discipline is restraint and purification of thought and intention.