Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

चतुर्हस्तं तुलाकाष्ठमव्रणं कारयेत्स्थिरम् । खदिरार्जुनवृक्षाणां शिंशपाशालजं त्वथ

Transliteration

caturhastaṃ tulākāṣṭhamavraṇaṃ kārayetsthiram | khadirārjunavṛkṣāṇāṃ śiṃśapāśālajaṃ tvatha

Translation

Qu’on fasse façonner une poutre de balance, longue de quatre empans, stable et sans défaut. Qu’elle soit de bois de khadira ou d’arjuna, ou bien de śiṃśapā ou de śāla.

Word by Word

• चतुःहस्तम्: four-cubit (in length)
• चतुःहस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः—चतुरः हस्ताः यस्य तत् (measure: four cubits)

• तुलाकाष्ठम्: the balance-beam (wood for a scale)
• तुलाकाष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—तुलायाः काष्ठम्

• अव्रणम्: unwounded, without cracks/defects
• अव्रणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + व्रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक विशेषणम्

• कारयेत्: should have (it) made / should cause to be made
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [णिच् causative: कारय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच् (causative)

• स्थिरम्: firm, steady
• स्थिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तुलाकाष्ठस्य)

• खदिरार्जुनवृक्षाणाम्: of the khadira and arjuna trees
• खदिरार्जुनवृक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खदिर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (खदिरः च अर्जुनः च) + वृक्षाणाम् (of the trees)

• शिंशपाशालजम्: made from śiṃśapā and śāla (wood)
• शिंशपाशालजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिंशपा (प्रातिपदिक) + शाल (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (शिंशपा-शाल)-द्वन्द्व + ज (born/produced from) = तद्धितार्थक विशेषणम्

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphasis/contrast)

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमण/आरम्भसूचक निपातः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual workshop scene: artisans prepare a long, polished wooden balance-beam; sacred threads and water-pot nearby; a clean platform marked for rite.

Characters & Entities

• Khadira
• Arjuna (tree)
• Śiṃśapā
• Śāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and integrity matter: even the materials used in dharmic procedures must be sound and untainted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; it lists acceptable woods for the balance-beam.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A four-hasta, defect-free, sturdy balance-beam should be made from khadira/arjuna or śiṃśapā/śāla wood.