Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 61

Devanagari script

जीवात्मसंज्ञान्स्वीयांशान्व्यभजत्परमेश्वरः । तावंतस्ते च क्षेत्र्ज्ञा देहा यावंत एव हि

Transliteration

jīvātmasaṃjñānsvīyāṃśānvyabhajatparameśvaraḥ | tāvaṃtaste ca kṣetrjñā dehā yāvaṃta eva hi

Translation

Parameśvara repartiu as Suas próprias porções como aquilo que se conhece por jīvātman (as almas individuais). Tantos quantos são esses kṣetrajña, os “conhecedores do campo”, tantos são, de fato, os corpos.

Word by Word

• jīva-ātma-saṃjñān: (those) called ‘individual souls’
• jīva-ātma-saṃjñān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃjñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (jīvātmanāṃ saṃjñā = 'named jīvātman')

• svīyān: his own
• svīyān: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• aṃśān: parts; portions
• aṃśān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

• vyabhajat: he apportioned; he divided
• vyabhajat: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√bhaj (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• parameśvaraḥ: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• tāvantaḥ: so many
• tāvantaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक सर्वनाम-विशेषण

• te: they
• te: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• kṣetra-jñāḥ: knowers of the field
• kṣetra-jñāḥ: Predicate Nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kṣetrasya jñāḥ)

• dehāḥ: bodies
• dehāḥ: Predicate Nominative (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• yāvantaḥ: as many as
• yāvantaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yāvat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• eva: indeed; just
• eva: Adverbial (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• hi: indeed; for
• hi: Adverbial (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ निपात (particle: 'for/indeed')

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced, Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic vision: Parameśvara radiates countless sparks of light that become individual jīvas entering diverse bodies; the ‘field-knowers’ are shown as luminous points within human, animal, and divine forms.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Individual souls are understood as divine portions; embodiment varies with the multiplicity of kṣetrajña-s (knowers) in saṃsāra.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; the verse explains the doctrine of jīva and embodiment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a metaphysical statement about jīvas and bodies.