Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

असृङ्मांसमयी जिह्वा सर्वेषामेव देहिनाम् । हस्तयोरोष्ठयोर्मेढ्रे ग्रीवायां षट् च कूर्चकाः

Transliteration

asṛṅmāṃsamayī jihvā sarveṣāmeva dehinām | hastayoroṣṭhayormeḍhre grīvāyāṃ ṣaṭ ca kūrcakāḥ

Translation

一切具身众生之舌，皆由血与肉所成。又有六处“库尔恰迦”（kūrcaka，筋腱丛结）分布于双手、双唇、生殖器与颈项。

Word by Word

• असृक्: blood
• असृक्: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असृक् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदम्

• मांसमयी: made of flesh
• मांसमयी: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक) + मयट् (तद्धित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तद्धितान्त (मयट्) ‘made of flesh’

• जिह्वा: the tongue
• जिह्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक

• देहिनाम्: of embodied beings
• देहिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; ‘embodied beings’

• हस्तयोः: of/in the two hands
• हस्तयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6/7), द्विवचन

• ओष्ठयोः: of/in the two lips
• ओष्ठयोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6/7), द्विवचन

• मेढ्रे: in the penis
• मेढ्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेढ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• ग्रीवायाम्: in the neck
• ग्रीवायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रीवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषणम्; प्रथमा (1), बहुवचनार्थे (indeclinable numeral form)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• कूर्चकाः: kūrcakas (tufts/knots; anatomical pads)
• कूर्चकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूर्चक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Diagrammatic human figure with highlighted six kūrcaka points: both hands, lips, genitals, neck; tongue shown as red-pink (blood/flesh) in a stylized cutaway, presented respectfully and symbolically.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It cultivates dispassion by highlighting the body’s material composition, supporting dharmic self-restraint and higher pursuit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a doctrinal description within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is anatomical/physiological exposition rather than a vrata or tīrtha rule.