Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

एवं वाय्वग्निसोमैश्च देहः संधारितस्त्वसौ । आकाशजानि स्रोतांसि तथा कोष्ठविविक्तता

Transliteration

evaṃ vāyvagnisomaiśca dehaḥ saṃdhāritastvasau | ākāśajāni srotāṃsi tathā koṣṭhaviviktatā

Translation

如是，此身由风（Vāyu）、火（Agni）与苏摩（Soma）维系。由虚空（Ākāśa）生起身中诸道（srotas），亦由其而有内在之空隙与脏腑腔室的分明区隔。

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: 'thus')

• वाय्वग्निसोमैः: by wind, fire, and soma
• वाय्वग्निसोमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात

• देहः: the body
• देहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• संधारितः: is sustained
• संधारितः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + धृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) विधेय-विशेषण ('is sustained/held together')

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• असौ: this (one)
• असौ: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (demonstrative pronoun)

• आकाशजानि: born from space (ether)
• आकाशजानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (जन्-धातु, क-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; 'आकाशात् जातानि' इति विशेषण

• स्रोतांसि: channels/ducts
• स्रोतांसि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय

• कोष्ठविविक्तता: separation/emptiness of the viscera (cavities)
• कोष्ठविविक्तता: Karta (Subject/Item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + विविक्तता (विविक्त + ता; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; भाववाचक -ता प्रत्ययान्त

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher illustrates the body as a temple: vāyu as moving currents, agni as inner flame, soma as cooling nectar; ākāśa as luminous space forming channels and cavities.

Characters & Entities

• Vāyu
• Agni
• Soma
• Ākāśa
• Srotas
• Koṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Life is sustained by cosmic principles (elements and forces); recognizing this fosters humility and dharmic living.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is referenced; the verse is cosmological-physiological instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed in this verse.