Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

नानाजाति स्वरूपं च चतुर्भिर्देहधारणम् । पार्थिवांशं विना नित्यमष्टौ पार्थिवसिद्धयः

Transliteration

nānājāti svarūpaṃ ca caturbhirdehadhāraṇam | pārthivāṃśaṃ vinā nityamaṣṭau pārthivasiddhayaḥ

Translation

നാനാജാതികളുടെ സ്വരൂപം ധരിക്കുകയും നാലു (തത്ത്വങ്ങൾ) കൊണ്ട് ദേഹം നിലനിർത്തുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നു—എങ്കിലും ‘പാർഥിവാംശം’ ഇല്ലാതെയും എപ്പോഴും എട്ട് പ്രത്യേക പാർഥിവ സിദ്ധികൾ ഉണ്ടാകും.

Word by Word

• नानाजाति: of various kinds
• नानाजाति: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना-जाती (प्रातिपदिक); नाना + जाति
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (various kinds)

• स्वरूपम्: form/nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात

• चतुर्भिः: by four (means)
• चतुर्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• देहधारणम्: support/maintenance of the body
• देहधारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह-धारण (प्रातिपदिक); देह + धारण
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देहस्य धारणम्)

• पार्थिवांशम्: the earthly portion
• पार्थिवांशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव-अंश (प्रातिपदिक); पार्थिव + अंश
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (earthly part)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोगार्थक-उपपद (preposition: ‘without’), द्वितीयान्वयी

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Adverbial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (accusative used adverbially: ‘always’)

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• पार्थिवसिद्धयः: earthly perfections/powers
• पार्थिवसिद्धयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव-सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक); पार्थिव + सिद्धि
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पार्थिवाः सिद्धयः)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A yogin surrounded by four elemental guardians (earth, water, fire, air) with a fifth ‘space’ implied; above, silhouettes of different species/forms (bird, serpent, sage, deer) indicating jāti-rūpa assumption; a highlighted ‘earth’ panel shows eight icons for pārthiva siddhis.

Characters & Entities

• Catur-bhūta (four elements, implied)
• Pārthiva (earth element)
• Siddhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It links bodily manifestation and transformation to elemental principles, presenting siddhis as element-based capacities rather than ultimate spiritual attainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse is a technical continuation of siddhi and element doctrine.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is stated; it describes the elemental basis for body-assumption and a class of earthly siddhis.