Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

तद्ब्रह्मण इहोत्पन्नः सिकताद्वयसम्भवः । निगमोक्तं पठञ्छृण्वन्निदं जीविष्यते कथम्

Transliteration

tadbrahmaṇa ihotpannaḥ sikatādvayasambhavaḥ | nigamoktaṃ paṭhañchṛṇvannidaṃ jīviṣyate katham

Translation

此生在此由彼梵而生，出自两“沙”（男与女）的和合；纵然诵读聆听吠陀所说——此众生又怎能真正明智而活？

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha/Anvaya
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman / of the Veda
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• उत्पन्नः: arisen, produced
• उत्पन्नः: Karta (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्√पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सिकता-द्वय-सम्भवः: born from a pair of sand-grains
• सिकता-द्वय-सम्भवः: Karta (subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिकता (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (सिकताद्वयात् सम्भवः)

• निगम-उक्तम्: that which is stated in the Veda
• निगम-उक्तम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निगम (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (कृदन्त, वच् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘उक्त’; तत्पुरुष (निगमेन उक्तम्)

• पठन्: reading
• पठन्: Karta (agent, participial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पठ् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले ‘reading’

• शृण्वन्: hearing
• शृण्वन्: Karta (agent, participial)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; ‘hearing’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (object)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• जीविष्यते: will live
• जीविष्यते: Kriya (verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कथम्: how?
• कथम्: Prashna (interrogative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

Speaker

Lomaśa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative tableau: a human figure formed from elemental grains/sands, while a sage recites Vedic mantras; the figure looks conflicted, symbolizing knowledge without lived wisdom.

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Veda (Nigama)
• Lomaśa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mere study and hearing of scripture is not enough; one must live the teaching with discernment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is specified; the focus is on Vedic instruction and lived dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly endorses śravaṇa and pāṭha (hearing and recitation), but stresses their fruition in conduct.