Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

मध्ये क्लीबस्तु वामे स्त्री दक्षिणे पुरुषस्तथा । तिष्ठत्युदरभागे च पृष्ठेरग्निमुखः किल

Transliteration

madhye klībastu vāme strī dakṣiṇe puruṣastathā | tiṣṭhatyudarabhāge ca pṛṣṭheragnimukhaḥ kila

Translation

ମଧ୍ୟରେ ଥିଲେ ସେ ନପୁଂସକ ହୁଏ; ବାମପାର୍ଶ୍ୱରେ ଥିଲେ ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ, ଦକ୍ଷିଣପାର୍ଶ୍ୱରେ ଥିଲେ ପୁରୁଷ। ସେ ଉଦରଭାଗରେ ଅବସ୍ଥିତ ରହି (କଥିତ) ମାତୃ-ଜଠରାଗ୍ନି ଦିଗକୁ ମୁଖ କରିଥାଏ।

Word by Word

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• क्लीबः: a neuter/impotent (child)
• क्लीबः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लीब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle/but, indeed)

• वामे: on the left (side)
• वामे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्त्री: female (child)
• स्त्री: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• दक्षिणे: on the right (side)
• दक्षिणे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पुरुषः: male (child)
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb/likewise)

• तिष्ठति: stays/stands
• तिष्ठति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• उदर-भागे: in the abdominal region
• उदर-भागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उदरस्य भागे)

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

• पृष्ठे: at the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अग्नि-मुखः: having fire as its mouth / fire-faced
• अग्नि-मुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य मुखम् अग्निसदृशम्/अग्निः मुखं यस्य)

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/indeed, it is said)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), by section-wide deduction (Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration to sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic, symbolic ‘threefold’ depiction: central/left/right positions within a womb-lotus indicating napuṃsaka/strī/puṃs; the fetus oriented toward a stylized ‘digestive fire’ (jāṭharāgni) shown as a small flame motif behind.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Embodiment follows natural conditioning; it points to the soul’s higher identity beyond bodily distinctions.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual practice is prescribed.