Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

प्रथमं कायशुद्ध्यर्थं प्राजापत्यं समाचरेत् । शयने देवदेवस्य विशेषेण महत्तपः

Transliteration

prathamaṃ kāyaśuddhyarthaṃ prājāpatyaṃ samācaret | śayane devadevasya viśeṣeṇa mahattapaḥ

Translation

Zuerst soll man zur Reinigung des Körpers die Prājāpatya-Observanz ausüben. Besonders während des heiligen Niederliegens des Herrn der Götter (Hariśayana) wird dies zu großer Askese.

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: firstly
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable)

• कायशुद्ध्यर्थम्: for the purpose of bodily purification
• कायशुद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय + शुद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prājāpatya (penance/rite)
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाचरेत्: should practice, should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• शयने: in/at the bed, in lying down
• शयने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशेषेण: especially, particularly
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental used adverbially)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee preparing for Prājāpatya vrata—simple meal, water-pot, kusa grass—before a Vishnu shrine; in the background, Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa in the cosmic ocean indicating Hariśayana season.

Characters & Entities

• Deva-deva (Viṣṇu/Hari)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification begins with disciplined vows; observances performed during Hari’s śayana gain heightened spiritual potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes a sacred time (Hariśayana/Cāturmāsya) rather than naming a particular tirtha in the text provided.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice the Prājāpatya vow/penance for bodily purification, particularly during the Deva-deva’s śayana period.