Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13
न पाटितं समश्नीयाद्दंतकाष्ठं न सव्रणम् । न चोर्द्धशुष्कं वक्रं वा नैव च त्वग्विवर्ज्जितम्
na pāṭitaṃ samaśnīyāddaṃtakāṣṭhaṃ na savraṇam | na corddhaśuṣkaṃ vakraṃ vā naiva ca tvagvivarjjitam
لا ينبغي أن يُستعمل عودُ تنظيفِ الأسنان إذا كان مشقوقًا، ولا إن كان مجروحًا أو متلفًا؛ ولا إن كان نصفَ يابسٍ، ولا معوجًّا، ولا منزوعَ القِشر.
Skanda (deduced from instructional dharma tone within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Beloved interlocutor / inquirer
Scene: Close-up instructional scene: a teacher-figure indicates acceptable vs unacceptable tooth-sticks—split, wounded, crooked, barkless—laid on a cloth; the pilgrim selects a straight, fresh twig near a water pot, emphasizing discipline and care.
FAQs
Purāṇic dharma treats bodily cleanliness as a sacred discipline, requiring care, propriety, and avoidance of defective implements.
Prabhāsakṣetra, where even daily rites are framed as meritorious when performed according to rule.
Selection rules for dantakāṣṭha: avoid split, damaged, half-dry, crooked, or barkless tooth-sticks.