Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 41
Devanagari script
एवं भूतमयं देहं पंचभूतसमुद्भवैः । अन्नैर्यथा वृद्धिमेति तदहं वर्णयामि ते
Transliteration
evaṃ bhūtamayaṃ dehaṃ paṃcabhūtasamudbhavaiḥ | annairyathā vṛddhimeti tadahaṃ varṇayāmi te
Translation
如是，此身由诸元素所成，凭借由五大所生之食物而增长。我将为你说明这增长如何发生。
Word by Word
एवम्thus
एवम्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएवम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb of manner)
भूत-मयम्made of elements
भूत-मयम्:
Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootभूत (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (made of elements/beings)
देहम्body
देहम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदेह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (masculine, accusative singular)
पञ्च-भूत-समुद्भवैःby those arisen from the five elements
पञ्च-भूत-समुद्भवैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्च (संख्या) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (arisen from the five elements)
अन्नैःby foods
अन्नैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (neuter, instrumental plural)
यथाas
यथा:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootयथा (अव्यय)
Formउपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as, just as)
वृद्धिम्growth
वृद्धिम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवृद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, accusative singular)
एतिattains/goes to
एति:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootइ (धातु)
Formलट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 3rd person singular)
तत्that (matter)
तत्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (pronoun; neuter, accusative singular)
अहम्I
अहम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन (1st person pronoun, nominative singular)
वर्णयामिI describe
वर्णयामि:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवर्णय् (धातु, णिजन्त)
Formलट्, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (present indicative, 1st person singular)
तेto you
ते:
Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootयुष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formचतुर्थी, एकवचन (dative singular)
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: Instructor explains how elemental food becomes bodily growth; visual metaphor of five elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether) transforming into nourishment entering the body.
FAQs
The body’s dependence on elemental food underscores impermanence and encourages spiritual priority over bodily identity.
No location is praised; the passage is instructional rather than tīrtha-centered.
No explicit ritual; it introduces an explanation of nourishment and growth.