Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 91

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा तु विमले तोये दर्भग्रन्थिं निबन्धयेत् । मस्तके बाहुमूले वा नाभ्यां वा गलकेऽपि वा

Transliteration

snātvā tu vimale toye darbhagranthiṃ nibandhayet | mastake bāhumūle vā nābhyāṃ vā galake'pi vā

Translation

Nachdem man in reinem Wasser gebadet hat, soll man einen Knoten aus Darbha-Gras binden: am Kopf, oder an der Armwurzel, oder am Nabel, oder auch am Hals.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• विमले: pure/clean
• विमले: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तोये: in water
• तोये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• दर्भग्रन्थिम्: a knot of darbha-grass
• दर्भग्रन्थिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्भ + ग्रन्थि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दर्भस्य ग्रन्थिः); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• निबन्धयेत्: should tie/bind
• निबन्धयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• मस्तके: on the head
• मस्तके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• बाहुमूले: at the root of the arm/armpit
• बाहुमूले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बाहोः मूलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• नाभ्याम्: at/near the navel
• नाभ्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

• गलके: on the neck/throat
• गलके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक निपात

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (Revākhaṇḍa ritual instruction)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim emerges from clear water, wrings wet cloth, then carefully ties a small knot of darbha grass on head/arm/navel/throat; nearby, a priest indicates the correct placement; the riverbank is serene.

Characters & Entities

• Darbha (Kuśa grass)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity and ritual discipline are emphasized: sacred bathing is followed by a protective/ritual binding of darbha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The practice is situated within Revā-kṣetra observances; the exact tirtha name is not specified in the excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna in pure water followed by tying a darbha-grass knot at specified body locations.