Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

अंत्राण्यत्र तथा त्रीणि सार्धव्यामत्रयाणि च । त्रिव्यामानि तथा स्त्रीणामाहुर्वेदविदो द्विजाः

Transliteration

aṃtrāṇyatra tathā trīṇi sārdhavyāmatrayāṇi ca | trivyāmāni tathā strīṇāmāhurvedavido dvijāḥ

Translation

Ici encore, les intestins sont au nombre de trois, mesurant trois vyāmas et demi ; et pour les femmes on dit qu’ils mesurent trois vyāmas, ainsi l’affirment les deux-fois-nés connaisseurs du Veda.

Word by Word

• aṃtrāṇi: intestines
• aṃtrāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃtra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (also/likewise)

• trīṇi: three
• trīṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् (अंत्राणि इति)

• sārdha-vyāma-trayāṇi: three and a half vyāmas (in measure)
• sārdha-vyāma-trayāṇi: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sārdha (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + vyāma (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सार्धं व्यामत्रयम् = ‘three vyāmas and a half’ इत्यर्थे)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• tri-vyāmāni: three-vyāma measures
• tri-vyāmāni: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + vyāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रि + व्यामानि)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (also/likewise)

• strīṇām: of women
• strīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• āhuḥ: they say
• āhuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• veda-vidaḥ: knowers of the Veda
• veda-vidaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (वेदं विदन्ति इति)

• dvijāḥ: twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: dvija interlocutor / assembly of twice-born

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A manuscript-like tableau showing three intestinal coils labeled, with a measuring cord indicating vyāma lengths; the teacher cites Veda-knowing authorities.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It underscores that embodied life is measurable and conditioned—supporting humility and careful self-regulation as part of dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it reports traditional anatomical measures.