Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

बोधको रसनास्थश्च रसानामवबोधकः । शिरःस्थश्चक्षुरादीनां तर्पणात्तर्पणः स्मृतः

Transliteration

bodhako rasanāsthaśca rasānāmavabodhakaḥ | śiraḥsthaścakṣurādīnāṃ tarpaṇāttarpaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

「ボーダカ」は舌に住して、諸々の味を真に知らしめる。「タルパナ」は頭に座し、保つ満足によって眼および他の諸感官を養うものとして憶念される。

Word by Word

• bodhakaḥ: the knower/awakener (bodhaka)
• bodhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bodhaka (कृदन्त; √budh धातु)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• rasanā-sthaḥ: situated in the tongue
• rasanā-sthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rasanā + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (रसनायां स्थितः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• rasānām: of tastes/rasas
• rasānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• avabodhakaḥ: the recognizer (avabodhaka)
• avabodhakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ava-bodhaka (कृदन्त; √budh धातु, ava- उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि-ण्वुल् प्रत्ययान्त

• śiraḥ-sthaḥ: situated in the head
• śiraḥ-sthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiras + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (शिरसि स्थितः)

• cakṣur-ādīnām: of the eyes and other (sense organs)
• cakṣur-ādīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakṣus + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; समाहार/समुच्चयार्थ ‘आदि’ सहित (cakṣus etc.)

• tarpaṇāt: from nourishment/satiation
• tarpaṇāt: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tarpaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• tarpaṇaḥ: Tarpaṇa (the nourisher)
• tarpaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tarpaṇa (कृदन्त; √tṛp धातु)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• smṛtaḥ: is considered/known as
• smṛtaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √smṛ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle: ‘is considered’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bodhaka as a subtle light on the tongue discerning six tastes; Tarpaṇa as a cool nectar in the head nourishing eyes and senses, depicted as lotus-petals being refreshed.

Characters & Entities

• Bodhaka
• Tarpaṇa
• Rasanā (tongue)
• Cakṣus (eyes)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human faculties like taste and sight are upheld by subtle sustaining principles; gratitude and disciplined living align one with dharmic order.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is mentioned; the focus is physiological-doctrinal rather than sthala-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it defines functions (bodily nourishment and perception) rather than prescribing a ritual.