Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46

Devanagari script

मलैर्द्वादशभिः किट्टं भिन्नं देहाद्बहिर्व्रजेत् । कर्णाक्षिनासिकाजिह्वादताः शिश्नं गुदं नखाः

Transliteration

malairdvādaśabhiḥ kiṭṭaṃ bhinnaṃ dehādbahirvrajet | karṇākṣināsikājihvādatāḥ śiśnaṃ gudaṃ nakhāḥ

Translation

కిట్టభాగం ద్వాదశ మలరూప అశుద్ధులుగా విభజింపబడి దేహం నుండి బయటకు వెళ్తుంది—చెవులు, కళ్ళు, ముక్కు, నాలుక, పళ్ళు, శిశ్నం, గుదం, గోర్లు మొదలైనవి।

Word by Word

• malaiḥ: by impurities
• malaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• dvādaśabhiḥ: by twelve
• dvādaśabhiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvādaśan (संख्यावाचक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (instrumental plural)

• kiṭṭam: dross / waste
• kiṭṭam: Karma (Object/Theme)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṭṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bhinnam: separated
• bhinnam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhinna (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √bhid)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• dehāt: from the body
• dehāt: Apadana (Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन (ablative singular)

• bahiḥ: outside
• bahiḥ: Gati (Direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक/स्थानवाचक (adverb)

• vrajet: should go / would go
• vrajet: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vraj (व्रज् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (optative, 3rd sg)

• karṇa: ear
• karṇa: Samasa-anga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (as member in compound)

• akṣi: eye
• akṣi: Samasa-anga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (as member in compound)

• nāsikā: nose
• nāsikā: Samasa-anga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāsikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (as member in compound)

• jihvā: tongue
• jihvā: Samasa-anga (Compound member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jihvā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (as member in compound)

• datāḥ: teeth
• datāḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: danta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (nominative plural); छन्दसि/पाठभेदः: ‘datāḥ’ = ‘dantāḥ’

• śiśnam: penis
• śiśnam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiśna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• gudam: anus
• gudam: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nakhāḥ: nails
• nakhāḥ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (nominative plural)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic yogic anatomy: the body shown with highlighted ‘mala-outlets’ and the concept of kiṭṭa exiting, contrasted with a calm yogin observing without aversion—pure discrimination rather than disgust.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It encourages detachment by showing the body as a site of constant impurities, motivating purity and spiritual striving.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the broader implication supports śauca (purity) as a dharmic discipline.