Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 146

Devanagari script

नवतत्तवमयं देहं दशमः पुरुषो मतः । तस्माद्गंधेन तृप्यंति रसतत्त्वेन ते तथा

Transliteration

navatattavamayaṃ dehaṃ daśamaḥ puruṣo mataḥ | tasmādgaṃdhena tṛpyaṃti rasatattvena te tathā

Translation

Thân này được xem là cấu thành bởi chín nguyên lý (tattva), còn Puruṣa được kể là nguyên lý thứ mười. Vì thế, họ được thỏa mãn nhờ hương (mùi), và cũng vậy nhờ nguyên lý của vị—tinh chất vi tế của vị giác.

Word by Word

• nava-tattva-mayam: consisting of nine tattvas
• nava-tattva-mayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nava (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (नवानां तत्त्वानां मयम् = consisting of nine principles)

• deham: body
• deham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• daśamaḥ: tenth
• daśamaḥ: Karta (Predicate-adjective/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण (ordinal)

• puruṣaḥ: person/Puruṣa
• puruṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• mataḥ: is considered
• mataḥ: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (मन् धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; अर्थः ‘मतः/considered’

• tasmāt: from that/therefore
• tasmāt: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादान (ablative)

• gaṃdhena: by smell/fragrance
• gaṃdhena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

• tṛpyanti: are satisfied
• tṛpyanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṛp (तृप् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• rasa-tattvena: by the principle of taste
• rasa-tattvena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (रसस्य तत्त्वम्)

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

• tathā: likewise/thus
• tathā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/likewise)

Speaker

Mahākāla

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Questioner in the dialogue (unnamed in provided excerpt)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual tray with sandal paste, incense, and libation water is shown emitting subtle essences that rise as colored streams (gandha and rasa) toward invisible recipients; a faint diagram of nine tattvas plus Puruṣa overlays the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Pitṛs
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offerings work through subtle essences (gandha, rasa), not merely gross material transfer; consciousness (Puruṣa) is distinct from material principles.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied: offerings should be pure and fragrant/nourishing in essence, since subtle smell and taste are what satisfy subtle recipients.