Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

गन्धलेपापनोदार्थं शौचं देहस्य कीर्तितम् । द्वयस्यापगमात्पश्चाद्भावशुद्ध्या विशुध्यति

Transliteration

gandhalepāpanodārthaṃ śaucaṃ dehasya kīrtitam | dvayasyāpagamātpaścādbhāvaśuddhyā viśudhyati

Translation

देह की शुचिता गंध और मैल को दूर करने के लिए कही गई है; पर उन दोनों के हट जाने पर भी, मनोभाव की शुद्धि से ही वास्तविक पवित्रता होती है।

Word by Word

• गन्ध-लेप-अपनोद-अर्थम्: for removing smell and smear
• गन्ध-लेप-अपनोद-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + लेप (प्रातिपदिक) + अपनोद (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थक-समासः—‘गन्धलेपस्य अपनोदः’ तस्य अर्थः (for the removal of smell and smear)

• शौचम्: purification/cleanliness
• शौचम्: Karta/Predicate-noun (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देहस्य: of the body
• देहस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• कीर्तितम्: is declared/has been stated
• कीर्तितम्: Kriya (Predicative action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कीर्त् (धातु) → कीर्तित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-रूपेण (predicative)

• द्वयस्य: of the two (things)
• द्वयस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन

• अपगमात्: from the removal/cessation
• अपगमात्: Apadana (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• भाव-शुद्ध्या: by purification of (one’s) disposition
• भाव-शुद्ध्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—भावस्य शुद्धिः

• विशुध्यति: becomes purified
• विशुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + √शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two-stage purification: first, a devotee washing away mud and odor; second, the same devotee with hands in añjali, a luminous heart/inner light symbolizing bhāva-śuddhi.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

External cleanliness removes physical impurities, but real purity is the purification of one’s inner intention and attitude.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is praised; the verse defines a principle applicable to all tīrthas and rituals.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It acknowledges bodily śauca (cleaning away odor and grime) while prioritizing bhāvaśuddhi as essential.