Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 94

Devanagari script

प्रकृतिः पुरुषश्चैव पञ्चविंशः सदाशिवः । पञ्चपञ्चभिरेततैस्तु निष्पन्नं गृहमुच्यते

Transliteration

prakṛtiḥ puruṣaścaiva pañcaviṃśaḥ sadāśivaḥ | pañcapañcabhiretataistu niṣpannaṃ gṛhamucyate

Translation

ପ୍ରକୃତି ଓ ପୁରୁଷ—ଏବଂ ପଞ୍ଚବିଂଶ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱରୂପେ ସଦାଶିବ—ଏହି ପାଞ୍ଚ-ପାଞ୍ଚ ସମୂହଦ୍ୱାରା ଏହି ‘ଗୃହ’ ଅର୍ଥାତ୍ ଦେହ-ରଚନା ନିଷ୍ପନ୍ନ ବୋଲି କୁହାଯାଏ।

Word by Word

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधारणार्थकः

• पञ्चविंशः: the twenty-fifth (principle)
• पञ्चविंशः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चविंश (प्रातिपदिक; संख्यासमासः पञ्च + विंश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्चविंशतिः = twenty-five)

• सदाशिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सदा-शिव (प्रातिपदिक; सदा + शिव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सदा शिवः)

• पञ्चपञ्चभिः: by the two groups of five
• पञ्चपञ्चभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च-पञ्च (प्रातिपदिक; संख्यासमाहारः)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व/समाहारार्थः (पञ्च च पञ्च च = two sets of five)

• एततैः: by these
• एततैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषणम् (by these)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• निष्पन्नम्: produced/formed
• निष्पन्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्पन्न (कृदन्त; √पद् (धातु) + निṣ् + सम्, क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मविशेषणम्

• गृहम्: a house/body (as a dwelling)
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; उच्यते इति कर्म (नाम)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Sutanu

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic architectural metaphor: the body as a house built from tattva-bricks; above it shines Sadāśiva as the keystone/crown, with prakṛti and puruṣa depicted as complementary pillars.

Characters & Entities

• Prakṛti
• Puruṣa
• Sadāśiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeing the body as a constructed ‘house’ of principles helps detach from it and orient toward Sadāśiva as the highest reality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the focus is metaphysical (tattva) rather than sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement supporting contemplative understanding.