Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 29

Devanagari script

बहवस्तन्न जानन्ति महामोहसमन्विताः । देहस्थ इव सर्वेषां परमात्मेव संस्थितम्

Transliteration

bahavastanna jānanti mahāmohasamanvitāḥ | dehastha iva sarveṣāṃ paramātmeva saṃsthitam

Translation

بہت سے لوگ عظیم فریب میں مبتلا ہو کر اسے نہیں جانتے؛ حالانکہ وہ سب میں یوں قائم ہے جیسے بدن کے اندر ہو، خود پرماتما کی مانند۔

Word by Word

• बहवः: many (people)
• बहवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-विशेष्य (many persons)

• तत्: that (truth/thing)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• महामोहसमन्विताः: endowed with great delusion
• महामोहसमन्विताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महामोह (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त, √अन्वि/अनु+इ, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण; समासः—महान् मोहः यस्य/येन समन्वितः (endowed with great delusion)

• देहस्थः: situated in the body
• देहस्थः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त, √स्था, क्त/निष्ठा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—देहे स्थितः (situated in the body)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha/Modifier (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; सर्वनामसदृश

• परमात्मा: the Supreme Self
• परमात्मा: Karta/Adhikarana (Subject-like/अधिकरण-भाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—परमः आत्मा (the Supreme Self)

• इव: as if
• इव: Sambandha/Modifier (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• संस्थितम्: abiding/established
• संस्थितम्: Kriya-Visheshana/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + √स्था (धातु) (क्त, निष्ठा)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; (having been) established/abiding

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Candrahāsya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa) implied by nearby address in the passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands on a Narmadā bank at dawn; the river mirrors a subtle inner light in the pilgrim’s heart-lotus, while shadowy figures (moha) pass by unaware.

Characters & Entities

• Paramātman

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred truth may be near and ever-present, yet remains unknown to those veiled by moha (delusion); discernment restores recognition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The surrounding passage concerns Candrahāsya-tīrtha; this verse underscores how many fail to recognize its greatness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the emphasis is on knowledge and recognition beyond delusion.