Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 358

Devanagari script

अशक्त्या तु शरीरस्य भस्मस्नानेन शुध्यति । मंत्रस्नानेन विप्रेंद्र विष्णुपादोदकेन वा

Transliteration

aśaktyā tu śarīrasya bhasmasnānena śudhyati | maṃtrasnānena vipreṃdra viṣṇupādodakena vā

Translation

Wenn jedoch der Körper nicht dazu fähig ist (ein vollständiges Bad zu vollziehen), wird man durch ein Aschebad gereinigt, oder durch ein «Mantra‑Bad», o Bester der Brahmanen, oder auch durch das Wasser, das Viṣṇus Füße gewaschen hat.

Word by Word

• अशक्त्या: by inability
• अशक्त्या: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; हेतु/कारणार्थे (by/through inability)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis particle)

• शरीरस्य: of the body
• शरीरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• भस्मस्नानेन: by bathing with ash
• भस्मस्नानेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भस्मेन स्नानम्)

• शुध्यति: becomes purified
• शुध्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद-प्रयोगः (सामान्यतः परस्मैपद)

• मन्त्रस्नानेन: by mantra-bath (ritual bath with mantras)
• मन्त्रस्नानेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मन्त्रेण स्नानम्)

• विप्रेंद्र: O best of brahmins
• विप्रेंद्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विप्राणाम् इन्द्रः)

• विष्णुपादोदकेन: by the water from Viṣṇu’s feet
• विष्णुपादोदकेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु + पाद + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः पादस्य उदकम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

Speaker

Brahmā (in Brahma–Nārada dialogue; inferred from section context)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nārada

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An elderly or sick devotee seated near a shrine, applying vibhūti, sipping caraṇāmṛta, and performing mental/mantra bathing while attendants bring a small sacred water vessel.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Vipra (Brahmin)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides compassionate alternatives: when physical bathing is not possible, other sanctifying means still confer purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Rather than a location, the verse glorifies sacred “tīrtha” in the form of Viṣṇu’s foot-water (viṣṇupādodaka).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

If unable to bathe normally, use bhasma-snāna, mantra-snāna, or viṣṇupādodaka for purification.