Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

एवमत्र स्थिते जीवो देहेऽस्मिन्सप्तसप्तके । पंचविंशतिको व्याप्य देहं वासोऽस्य मूर्धनि

Transliteration

evamatra sthite jīvo dehe'sminsaptasaptake | paṃcaviṃśatiko vyāpya dehaṃ vāso'sya mūrdhani

Translation

ଏହିପରି ଏଠାରେ ସ୍ଥିତ ଜୀବ ଏହି ଦେହରେ—ସପ୍ତ-ସପ୍ତକ ରୂପେ—ବସେ। ପଞ୍ଚବିଂଶତି-ତତ୍ତ୍ୱମୟ ହୋଇ ସେ ଦେହକୁ ବ୍ୟାପିଥାଏ, ତଥାପି ତାହାର ଆସନ ମୂର୍ଧାରେ ଅଛି।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (locative adverb: here)

• स्थिते: when situated/being in place
• स्थिते: Adhikarana (Locative absolute/सप्तमी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग-सम्भव; ‘when/while (it is) situated’ (locative absolute)

• जीवः: the living soul
• जीवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• देहे: in the body
• देहे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सप्तसप्तके: in the set of seven sevens
• सप्तसप्तके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + सप्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्तानां सप्तकः/समूहः)

• पञ्चविंशतिकः: twenty-fivefold; consisting of 25
• पञ्चविंशतिकः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चविंशति (प्रातिपदिक) + क (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-तद्धितान्त ‘consisting of twenty-five’

• व्याप्य: having pervaded
• व्याप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्याप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having pervaded’

• देहम्: the body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• वासः: dwelling/abode
• वासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अस्य: of this/of him
• अस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मूर्धनि: on the head
• मूर्धनि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous subtle figure (jīva) shown as a small flame or crystal light pervading a human silhouette, with a brighter focus at the crown/head; around it, a ring of 25 symbols (tattvas) arranged like a mandala.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The soul is distinct from the body’s components; recognizing this supports vairāgya and devotion-centered dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the focus is philosophical anthropology within the Māheśvarakhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it outlines metaphysical categories (tattvas) and embodiment.