Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 152

Devanagari script

आसनं कल्पयेत्तस्य कुर्यात्पादाभिवंदनम् । नोदक्छिराः स्वपेज्जातु न च प्रत्यक्छिरा बुधः

Transliteration

āsanaṃ kalpayettasya kuryātpādābhivaṃdanam | nodakchirāḥ svapejjātu na ca pratyakchirā budhaḥ

Translation

Man bereite ihm (dem Guru) einen Sitz und verneige sich zu seinen Füßen. Ein Weiser soll niemals mit dem Kopf nach Norden schlafen, noch mit dem Kopf nach Westen.

Word by Word

• āsanam: a seat
• āsanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (neut. acc. sg.)

• kalpayet: should arrange/provide
• kalpayet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kḷp (कॢप् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg. opt. P.)

• tasya: for him/of him
• tasya: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन (gen. sg.)

• kuryāt: should do
• kuryāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg. opt. P.)

• pāda-abhivandanam: salutation to (his) feet
• pāda-abhivandanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + abhivandana (प्रातिपदिक; अभि+वन्द्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (feet-salutation)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• udak-śirāḥ: with head toward the water-side (north)
• udak-śirāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: udak (प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (whose head is toward water = head to the north/upstream)

• svapet: should sleep
• svapet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: svap (स्वप् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd sg. opt. P.)

• jātu: ever
• jātu: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: jātu (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ever/at any time)

• na: nor/not
• na: Sambandha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

• pratyak-śirāḥ: with head turned opposite (westward)
• pratyak-śirāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pratyak (अव्यय/उपसर्गार्थ) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (with head turned opposite/backwards; head to the west)

• budhaḥ: a wise man
• budhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (masc. nom. sg.)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A disciple spreads a clean āsana for the guru and bows to the guru’s feet; in the background, a sleeping mat is oriented away from north and west, indicating dik-niyama.

Characters & Entities

• Guru

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence to the guru and disciplined living are integral parts of the devotee’s path.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse gives general conduct rules.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Provide a seat and bow to the guru’s feet; avoid sleeping with the head oriented north or west.