Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

एवमेतद्विनिष्पन्नं शरीरं पुण्यहेतवे । यथैव स्यंदनः शुभ्रो भारसंवाहनाय च

Transliteration

evametadviniṣpannaṃ śarīraṃ puṇyahetave | yathaiva syaṃdanaḥ śubhro bhārasaṃvāhanāya ca

Translation

かくして、完全に形成されたこの身体は、功徳の源となることを意図されている。清浄で優れた戦車が荷を運ぶために存在するように、身体もまた目的ある努力のために存在する。

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshya (Correlative/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neut.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचनम् (singular)

• विनिष्पन्नम्: fully produced/formed
• विनिष्पन्नम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-नि-ष्पद्/पद् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neut.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचनम् (singular)

• शरीरम्: body
• शरीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neut.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचनम् (singular)

• पुण्यहेतवे: for the cause of merit
• पुण्यहेतवे: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य-हेतु (प्रातिपदिक; पुण्य + हेतु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masc.), चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचनम् (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('cause of merit')

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (Comparative marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (comparative adverb: as)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपातः (emphatic particle)

• स्यंदनः: chariot
• स्यंदनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्यन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masc.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम् (singular)

• शुभ्रः: bright/white, splendid
• शुभ्रः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः (masc.), प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम् (singular)

• भारसंवाहनाय: for carrying loads
• भारसंवाहनाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार-संवाहन (प्रातिपदिक; भार + संवाहन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः (neut.), चतुर्थी (4th case), एकवचनम् (singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ('carrying of loads')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

Speaker

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

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous analogy scene: a spotless white chariot beside a disciplined sādhaka; the chariot symbolizes the body, with dharma as the ‘load’—scriptures, water-pot, rosary—ready for pilgrimage.

Characters & Entities

• Śarīra (body)
• Puṇya
• Syaṁdana (chariot)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human embodiment is an instrument for earning puṇya; it should be used for dharma rather than mere indulgence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No location is praised in this verse; it gives a general dharmic maxim.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is mandated; the verse frames the body’s purpose as merit-producing action.