Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

चतुर्हस्तं तुलाकाष्ठमव्रणं कारयेत्स्थिरम् । खदिरार्जुनवृक्षाणां शिंशपाशालजं त्वथ

Transliteration

caturhastaṃ tulākāṣṭhamavraṇaṃ kārayetsthiram | khadirārjunavṛkṣāṇāṃ śiṃśapāśālajaṃ tvatha

Translation

നാലു ഹസ്തം നീളമുള്ള, ദൃഢവും ദോഷരഹിതവും ആയ തുലാകാഷ്ഠം നിർമ്മിപ്പിക്കണം; ഖദിരയോ അർജുനമരമോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശിംശപാ അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ശാലമരക്കഷ്ഠമോ ഉപയോഗിക്കാം।

Word by Word

• चतुःहस्तम्: four-cubit (in length)
• चतुःहस्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः—चतुरः हस्ताः यस्य तत् (measure: four cubits)

• तुलाकाष्ठम्: the balance-beam (wood for a scale)
• तुलाकाष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक) + काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—तुलायाः काष्ठम्

• अव्रणम्: unwounded, without cracks/defects
• अव्रणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ (उपसर्ग/निषेध) + व्रण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक विशेषणम्

• कारयेत्: should have (it) made / should cause to be made
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) [णिच् causative: कारय-]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच् (causative)

• स्थिरम्: firm, steady
• स्थिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तुलाकाष्ठस्य)

• खदिरार्जुनवृक्षाणाम्: of the khadira and arjuna trees
• खदिरार्जुनवृक्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खदिर (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्जुन (प्रातिपदिक) + वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (खदिरः च अर्जुनः च) + वृक्षाणाम् (of the trees)

• शिंशपाशालजम्: made from śiṃśapā and śāla (wood)
• शिंशपाशालजम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिंशपा (प्रातिपदिक) + शाल (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (शिंशपा-शाल)-द्वन्द्व + ज (born/produced from) = तद्धितार्थक विशेषणम्

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphasis/contrast)

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमण/आरम्भसूचक निपातः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual workshop scene: artisans prepare a long, polished wooden balance-beam; sacred threads and water-pot nearby; a clean platform marked for rite.

Characters & Entities

• Khadira
• Arjuna (tree)
• Śiṃśapā
• Śāla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and integrity matter: even the materials used in dharmic procedures must be sound and untainted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; it lists acceptable woods for the balance-beam.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A four-hasta, defect-free, sturdy balance-beam should be made from khadira/arjuna or śiṃśapā/śāla wood.