Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 74

Devanagari script

व्यभजच्चतुरा शीतिलक्षास्ता जीवयोनयः । सकाशान्मनसस्तद्वदात्मनः प्रभवंति हि

Transliteration

vyabhajaccaturā śītilakṣāstā jīvayonayaḥ | sakāśānmanasastadvadātmanaḥ prabhavaṃti hi

Translation

Il divisa encore ces matrices des êtres vivants en quatre-vingt-quatre lakhs. Elles surgissent de la proximité du mental, et de même, en vérité, elles procèdent du Soi (Ātman).

Word by Word

• व्यभजत्: distributed/divided
• व्यभजत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + अभज् (धातु √भज्)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चतुराः: four
• चतुराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘जीवयोनयः’)

• शीतिलक्षाः: sixty-lakh (in number)
• शीतिलक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शीति + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—शीतिलक्ष (द्विगु: ‘शीति(=षष्टिः) लक्षाणि’ = sixty lakhs)

• ताः: those
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; निर्देश (referring to the said groups)

• जीवयोनयः: wombs/species of living beings
• जीवयोनयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—जीवयोनि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘जीवानां योनयः’)

• सकाशात्: from (the vicinity of)
• सकाशात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; अर्थे ‘निकटात्/पासात्’ (from the vicinity of)

• मनसः: of the mind
• मनसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: similarly/in the same way)

• आत्मनः: of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• प्रभवन्ति: arise/originate
• प्रभवन्ति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/reason)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wheel of 84-lakh births symbolized as many forms around a mandala; at the hub sits the mind (manas) as a charioteer, and behind it a luminous Self (ātman) as the silent witness.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The vast range of births is linked to mind and selfhood; mastery and purification of the mind is implied as central to liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse is cosmological and psychological.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is given; the implied discipline is manonigraha (governance of mind) and sāttvika refinement.