Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तपो विना शुद्धदेहो न कथंचन जायते । असुद्धदेहेन समं संयोगो नैव दैहिकः

Transliteration

tapo vinā śuddhadeho na kathaṃcana jāyate | asuddhadehena samaṃ saṃyogo naiva daihikaḥ

Translation

若无苦行，清净之身终不可能生起；而以不净之身，肉身的结合实不相称。

Word by Word

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Relation (अपादान/वियोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोग/अभावार्थक उपपद (postposition)

• शुद्धदेहः: a purified body/person with pure body
• शुद्धदेहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्ध + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• कथंचन: in any way, at all
• कथंचन: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कथंचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/निषेध-बलवर्धक (adverb: in any way)

• जायते: is born, arises
• जायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अशुद्धदेहेन: with an impure body
• अशुद्धदेहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ-शुद्ध + देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• समम्: together with, equally
• समम्: Sambandha/Adverbial (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्रयोग (indeclinable use); सहार्थक (with/equally)

• संयोगः: union, conjunction
• संयोगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (particle of emphasis)

• दैहिकः: bodily, physical
• दैहिकः: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दैहिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (संयोगस्य)

Speaker

Nārada (continuing)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Didactic tableau: the contrast between impure and purified embodiment; tapas depicted as fire of discipline refining the body-mind.

Characters & Entities

• Tapas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner and outer purification through tapas is foundational; without it, relationships and aims lack dharmic stability.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; this verse is a general dharma-teaching on tapas and purity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas is emphasized as the means of śuddhi (purification).