Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

जीवात्मसंज्ञान्स्वीयांशान्व्यभजत्परमेश्वरः । तावंतस्ते च क्षेत्र्ज्ञा देहा यावंत एव हि

Transliteration

jīvātmasaṃjñānsvīyāṃśānvyabhajatparameśvaraḥ | tāvaṃtaste ca kṣetrjñā dehā yāvaṃta eva hi

Translation

പരമേശ്വരൻ തന്റെ തന്നെ അംശങ്ങളെ ‘ജീവാത്മ’ എന്ന നാമത്തിൽ വിഭജിച്ചു. എത്ര ക్షേത്രജ്ഞ ആത്മാക്കൾ ഉണ്ടോ, അത്രയേറെ ദേഹങ്ങളും സത്യത്തിൽ ഉണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• jīva-ātma-saṃjñān: (those) called ‘individual souls’
• jīva-ātma-saṃjñān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (jīvātmanāṃ saṃjñā = 'named jīvātman')

• svīyān: his own
• svīyān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• aṃśān: parts; portions
• aṃśān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• vyabhajat: he apportioned; he divided
• vyabhajat: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• parameśvaraḥ: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• tāvantaḥ: so many
• tāvantaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• kṣetra-jñāḥ: knowers of the field
• kṣetra-jñāḥ: Predicate Nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kṣetrasya jñāḥ)

• dehāḥ: bodies
• dehāḥ: Predicate Nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• yāvantaḥ: as many as
• yāvantaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Adverbial (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Adverbial (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (particle: 'for/indeed')

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic vision: Parameśvara radiates countless sparks of light that become individual jīvas entering diverse bodies; the ‘field-knowers’ are shown as luminous points within human, animal, and divine forms.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Individual souls are understood as divine portions; embodiment varies with the multiplicity of kṣetrajña-s (knowers) in saṃsāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse explains the doctrine of jīva and embodiment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a metaphysical statement about jīvas and bodies.