Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 20
Devanagari script
कारणानुगतं कार्यमिदं शुक्रादभूद्वपुः । कथं विशुद्धिमायाति क्षालितांगारवद्वद
Transliteration
kāraṇānugataṃ kāryamidaṃ śukrādabhūdvapuḥ | kathaṃ viśuddhimāyāti kṣālitāṃgāravadvada
Translation
കാര്യത്തിന് കാരണം അനുസരണമുണ്ട്; ഈ ദേഹം ശുക്രത്തിൽ നിന്നുതന്നെ ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു. പറയുക—കഴുകിയ കരിക്കട്ടപോലെ ഇത് എങ്ങനെ ശുദ്ധിയിലേക്കെത്തും?
Word by Word
कारणानुगतम्following/depending on the cause
कारणानुगतम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootकारण (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुगत (गम्-धातु; क्त-कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (कारणम् अनुगतम् = following the cause)
कार्यम्effect/result
कार्यम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन
इदम्this
इदम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण
शुक्रात्from semen
शुक्रात्:
Apadana (Source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootशुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन; अपादान (source)
अभूत्became/arose
अभूत्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
वपुःbody
वपुः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवपुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
कथम्how?
कथम्:
Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)
विशुद्धिम्purity/cleansing
विशुद्धिम्:
Karman (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootविशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
आयातिattains/comes to
आयाति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootया (धातु) + आ (उपसर्ग)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
क्षालिताङ्गारवत्like washed charcoal
क्षालिताङ्गारवत्:
Upamana (Simile/उपमान)
TypeAdjective
Rootक्षालित (क्षल्-धातु; क्त-कृदन्त) + अङ्गार (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
Formअव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (contextual); उपमानार्थ (like washed charcoal)
वदsay/speak
वद:
Kriya (Command/आज्ञा)
TypeVerb
Rootवद् (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
Speaker
Lomaśa
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A sage uses a striking simile: washing charcoal cannot make it white; similarly, the body’s material origin challenges claims of inherent purity—prompting a turn to inner purification.
Characters & Entities
L
LomaśaFAQs
Bodily purity is limited; true purification is ethical and spiritual, not merely physical.
No site is mentioned; the verse is a philosophical reflection supporting dispassion.
No explicit ritual; it critiques reliance on external cleansing alone.