Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

स्त्रीशूद्रावाथ संस्पर्शमात्रेणापि विशुध्यतः । शिरः शब्दं सकंठं वा जले मुक्तशिखोऽपि वा

Transliteration

strīśūdrāvātha saṃsparśamātreṇāpi viśudhyataḥ | śiraḥ śabdaṃ sakaṃṭhaṃ vā jale muktaśikho'pi vā

Translation

Frauen und Śūdras werden schon durch bloße Berührung (mit dem Wasser der Ācamana) gereinigt. Man soll zur Läuterung Kopf, Sinnesorgane und Hals mit Wasser berühren, selbst wenn das Haar im Wasser gelöst ist.

Word by Word

• स्त्रीशूद्रौ: woman and Śūdra
• स्त्रीशूद्रौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री + शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (समाहार/द्वन्द्वे प्रायः पुं), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (particle)

• संस्पर्शमात्रेण: by mere contact
• संस्पर्शमात्रेण: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्पर्शमात्र (प्रातिपदिक; संस्पर्श + मात्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेतौ/करणे

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चय (particle)

• विशुध्यतः: they become purified
• विशुध्यतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुध् (धातु; शुद्धौ)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• शब्दम्: a sound/utterance
• शब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सकण्ठम्: together with the throat / up to the throat
• सकण्ठम्: Karma (extent/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; सह + कण्ठ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied act/extent)

• वा: or
• वा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive)

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• मुक्तशिखः: with loosened topknot
• मुक्तशिखः: Karta (implied)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्तशिख (प्रातिपदिक; मुक्त + शिखा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of an implied person)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अवधान

• वा: or
• वा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa narration style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at a water source; a woman and a śūdra traveler touch water to head and throat; hair loosened as if after bathing; emphasis on accessibility of purification.

Characters & Entities

• Strī
• Śūdra
• Śauca
• Ācamana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma emphasizes accessible means of purity; intention and prescribed method matter, not complexity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No external pilgrimage site is specified; the focus is on bodily purification procedures.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Purification is indicated through water-contact and touching key parts (head, sense-openings, throat), even when one is in water with hair loosened.