Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

अंतरं तु तयोः कार्यं तथा हस्तचतुष्टयम् । मुंडकोपरि काष्ठं च दृढं कुर्याद्विचक्षणः

Transliteration

aṃtaraṃ tu tayoḥ kāryaṃ tathā hastacatuṣṭayam | muṃḍakopari kāṣṭhaṃ ca dṛḍhaṃ kuryādvicakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

അവ രണ്ടിന്റെയും ഇടവിട്ട് നാല് ഹസ്തമാക്കണം. പിന്നെ വിവേകിയായവൻ മുണ്ടകങ്ങളുടെ മുകളിൽ മരക്കമ്പ്/തടി ദൃഢമായി ഉറപ്പിക്കണം.

Word by Word

• अन्तरम्: a gap/space
• अन्तरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bheda (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle)

• तयोः: of the two
• तयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (genitive), द्विवचनम् (dual)

• कार्यम्: should be made/done
• कार्यम्: Kriyā-sādhya (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (Gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विधेयभावः

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb: likewise)

• हस्तचतुष्टयम्: a set of four cubits
• हस्तचतुष्टयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त + चतुष्टय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; चतुष्टयं हस्तानाम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• मुण्डक-उपरि: upon the muṇḍaka (stump/post)
• मुण्डक-उपरि: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुण्डक (प्रातिपदिक) + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपरि इति देशवाचक-अव्ययम्; मुण्डकस्य उपरि (genitive sense)

• काष्ठम्: wood/log
• काष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचनम्

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

• दृढम्: firm, strong
• दृढम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• कुर्यात्: should make/do
• कुर्यात्: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्

• विचक्षणः: the discerning (person)
• विचक्षणः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनम्; कर्तृविशेषणम्

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two upright posts stand four hasta apart; a strong horizontal beam is lashed or mortised atop them; the builder checks alignment; the balance mechanism is about to be hung; the scene conveys readiness and solemnity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Truth-seeking rites are not casual; they require skill, stability, and correct arrangement to uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this procedural verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Keep four hastas between the posts and secure a strong beam atop them.