Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 66

Devanagari script

कारयेदायसं पात्रं ताम्रं वा षोडशांगुलम् । चतुरंगुलखातं तु मृन्मयं वापि कारयेत्

Transliteration

kārayedāyasaṃ pātraṃ tāmraṃ vā ṣoḍaśāṃgulam | caturaṃgulakhātaṃ tu mṛnmayaṃ vāpi kārayet

Translation

应制一器，或铁制、或铜制，长十六指量（aṅgula）；其内当凿四指量之凹穴；亦可用陶土制成。

Word by Word

• कारयेत्: should cause to be made
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (प्रयोजक)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (Causative)

• आयसम्: made of iron
• आयसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• पात्रम्: vessel
• पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• ताम्रम्: (or) copper (vessel)
• ताम्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ताम्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• षोडशाङ्गुलम्: sixteen-finger-breadths (long)
• षोडशाङ्गुलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular); प्रमाणवाचक (measure)

• चतुरङ्गुलखातम्: dug to four-finger-breadths (depth)
• चतुरङ्गुलखातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक) + खात (खन् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; past passive participle)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular); क्तान्त (PPP)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (emphatic/contrastive particle)

• मृन्मयम्: made of clay
• मृन्मयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृद् (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (additive particle: 'also/even')

• कारयेत्: should cause to be made
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (प्रयोजक)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (Causative)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) is addressed in the surrounding passage

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual-legal setting: a craftsman presents a precisely measured iron/copper/clay vessel; attendants hold measuring rods (aṅgula scale) while a judge-priest oversees the preparation.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual dharma emphasizes precision and prescribed form, reflecting order (ṛta) in sacred action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is praised here; the verse gives technical instructions for ritual apparatus.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Construction of a specified vessel (iron/copper/clay) with set dimensions for the rite.