Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

सचेतनं च पुरुषं प्रकृतिं च विचेतनाम् । प्राहुर्बुधा नराध्यक्ष पुंसश्चप्रकृतिः प्रिया

Transliteration

sacetanaṃ ca puruṣaṃ prakṛtiṃ ca vicetanām | prāhurbudhā narādhyakṣa puṃsaścaprakṛtiḥ priyā

Translation

ബുദ്ധന്മാർ പറയുന്നു—പുരുഷൻ ചേതനസ്വരൂപൻ, പ്രകൃതി അചേതന. ഹേ നരാധിപ, ദേഹധാരികൾക്ക് പ്രകൃതി പ്രിയമാണെന്നും അവർ പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सचेतनम्: conscious
• सचेतनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पुंरुषम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• पुरुषम्: the person (puruṣa)
• पुरुषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रकृतिम्: nature (prakṛti)
• प्रकृतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• विचेतनाम्: unconscious, insentient
• विचेतनाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रकृतिम् इति विशेष्यस्य)

• प्राहुः: they have said / declare
• प्राहुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्शभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• बुधाः: the wise
• बुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• नराध्यक्ष: O ruler of men
• नराध्यक्ष: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अध्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नराणाम् अध्यक्षः)

• पुंसः: of the man/puruṣa
• पुंसः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• प्रकृतिः: prakṛti (nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रियā: dear, beloved
• प्रियā: Karta (Predicate adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (प्रकृतिः इति विशेष्यस्य)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-sage addresses a royal listener, illustrating the contrast between luminous Puruṣa (witness) and veiled Prakṛti (guṇas), with subtle iconography of light vs. matter.

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Prakṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It teaches discrimination between consciousness (Puruṣa) and inert nature (Prakṛti), a foundation for overcoming bondage to delusion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None in this verse; it is a doctrinal statement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the focus is metaphysical distinction.