Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

चयनानि बहून्यत्र कल्पसूत्रविधानतः । पृष्ठोपरि कृतान्यासन्निंद्रद्युम्न तदा त्वया

Transliteration

cayanāni bahūnyatra kalpasūtravidhānataḥ | pṛṣṭhopari kṛtānyāsanniṃdradyumna tadā tvayā

Translation

یہاں کَلپ سُوتر کے احکام کے مطابق بہت سے چَیَن (ویدیوں کی تعمیر) کیے گئے۔ اے اندرَدیومن، وہ اُس وقت تُو نے میری پیٹھ پر بنائے تھے۔

Word by Word

• चयनानि: piles/altars (heaps)
• चयनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter, nominative/accusative plural

• बहूनि: many
• बहूनि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Neuter, nom/acc plural (agreeing with चयनानि)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक) = indeclinable adverb ‘here’

• कल्पसूत्रविधानतः: according to the Kalpasūtra injunction
• कल्पसूत्रविधानतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कल्पसूत्र + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध): कल्पसूत्रस्य विधानम्; तस्मात् ‘-तः’ = ablatival adverb ‘according to/from the rule’

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन = Locative singular

• उपरि: upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उपसर्गसदृश/क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable ‘upon/above’

• कृतानि: made
• कृतानि: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन = Past passive participle, neuter nom/acc plural (agreeing with चयनानि)

• आसन्: were
• आसन्: Kriya (Copula/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन = Imperfect, 3rd person plural

• इन्द्रद्युम्न: O Indradyumna
• इन्द्रद्युम्न: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रद्युम्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन = Vocative singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक) = indeclinable adverb ‘then’

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana (Agent-instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया, एकवचन = Instrumental singular

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual attribution within Māheśvara-khaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indradyumna (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A panorama of multiple Vedic altars (cayana) laid out according to Kalpa-sūtra rules; the speaker indicates they were constructed ‘upon my back,’ suggesting the Earth or a great being bearing the ritual field.

Characters & Entities

• Indradyumna
• Kalpa-sūtra
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual action must align with śāstra (Kalpa-sūtra), yet dharma also demands sensitivity to the beings and supports involved.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse says “here” (atra) without naming a tīrtha; the larger passage later highlights a sacred river’s merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It references Kalpa-sūtra-based procedures for constructing yajña altars (cayanāni).