Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

जटां त्रिषवणस्नानपिंगलां धारयन्नथ । वृद्धद्विजो महातेजा ददृशे ब्राह्मणैर्मम

Transliteration

jaṭāṃ triṣavaṇasnānapiṃgalāṃ dhārayannatha | vṛddhadvijo mahātejā dadṛśe brāhmaṇairmama

Translation

ত্রিসন্ধ্যা-স্নানে পিঙ্গল বর্ণের জটা ধারণ করে, সেই মহাতেজস্বী বৃদ্ধ দ্বিজকে তখন আমার ব্রাহ্মণগণ দেখলেন।

Word by Word

• जटाम्: matted hair
• जटाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• त्रिषवणस्नानपिङ्गलाम्: yellowish from thrice-daily bathing
• त्रिषवणस्नानपिङ्गलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + सवण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + पिङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन; समासः—त्रिषवणस्नानेन पिङ्गला (yellowish due to thrice-daily bathing); विशेषण (qualifying जटाम्)

• धारयन्: bearing
• धारयन्: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) + शतृ (वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा एकवचन; कर्तरि; विशेषण (of the subject)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तरार्थक

• वृद्धद्विजः: an aged Brahmin
• वृद्धद्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (वृद्धः द्विजः)

• महातेजाः: of great splendor
• महातेजाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः; विशेषण (qualifying वृद्धद्विजः)

• ददृशे: was seen / appeared
• ददृशे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (ददृशे = ‘was seen/appeared’)

• ब्राह्मणैः: by the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया); बहुवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by)

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sāgara-tīra (ocean-shore)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Implied audience of the Purāṇic narration; within episode, the brāhmaṇas are observers

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An aged brāhmaṇa ascetic with matted locks, tawny from frequent bathing, stands radiant; the narrator’s brāhmaṇas notice him with reverence and surprise, sensing extraordinary tejas beneath the humble form.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Vṛddha-dvija (aged brāhmaṇa/guest)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer signs of discipline (tri-savana bathing, ascetic marks) indicate inner tapas and invite reverence toward the guest.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No named tīrtha appears in this verse; it highlights dharmic conduct and the recognition of sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tri-ṣavaṇa-snāna—bathing at the three daily junctions—is referenced as a mark of disciplined practice.