Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

कायः सुगन्धतोयाद्यैर्यत्नेनापि सुसंस्कृतः । न जहाति स्वकं भावं श्वपुच्छमिव नामितम्

Transliteration

kāyaḥ sugandhatoyādyairyatnenāpi susaṃskṛtaḥ | na jahāti svakaṃ bhāvaṃ śvapucchamiva nāmitam

Translation

Даже если тело тщательно умащать благовонными водами и прочим, оно не оставляет своей природы — как собачий хвост: хоть прижимай, прямым не удержится.

Word by Word

• कायः: body
• कायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• सुगन्ध-तोय-आद्यैः: with fragrant water and the like
• सुगन्ध-तोय-आद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + तोय (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—आद्य-शब्देन ‘इत्यादि’ (etc.)

• यत्नेन: with effort
• यत्नेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/विशेषणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• सु-संस्कृतः: well-refined/well-prepared
• सु-संस्कृतः: Karta-viśeṣaṇa (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग) + √कृ (धातु) → संस्कृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘कायः’)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• जहाति: abandons
• जहाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• स्वकम्: its own
• स्वकम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘भावम्’)

• भावम्: nature/character
• भावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• श्व-पुच्छम्: a dog’s tail
• श्व-पुच्छम्: Upamāna (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुच्छ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (dog’s tail)

• इव: like
• इव: Upamā-dyotaka (Comparator/उपमाद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-निपात (comparative particle)

• नामितम्: bent/forced to bend
• नामितम्: Upamāna-viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of upamāna/उपमानविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √नम् (धातु) → नामित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘श्वपुच्छम्’)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative ascetic points to a dog’s tail being pressed straight yet springing back, while a well-adorned person perfumes the body—symbolizing the futility of mere external grooming without inner change.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cosmetic refinement cannot transform the body’s fundamental condition; lasting purification is inward.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse is a general moral analogy aimed at cultivating discernment.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed; the verse critiques reliance on external beautification as a substitute for spiritual purity.