Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 67

Devanagari script

उपग्रही बद्ध शिखो जलमध्ये समाविशेत् । स्वशाखोक्तविधानेन स्नानं कुर्याद्यथाविधि

Transliteration

upagrahī baddha śikho jalamadhye samāviśet | svaśākhoktavidhānena snānaṃ kuryādyathāvidhi

Translation

Wearing the proper bathing cloth and with the śikhā tuft tied, one should enter the water; and, following the procedure taught by one’s own Vedic school, one should bathe according to rule.

Word by Word

• उपग्रही: wearing the upper garment / properly restrained
• उपग्रही: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपग्रहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; 'समाविशेत्' इत्यस्य कर्ता; उपग्रह-धारणवान् (with upper garment/with restraint)

• बद्ध: tied
• बद्ध: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'शिखः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शिखः: (with) topknot
• शिखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन; शिखावान् (topknot)

• जलमध्ये: in the middle of the water
• जलमध्ये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (जलस्य मध्ये)

• समाविशेत्: should enter
• समाविशेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु) + सम् + आ (उपसर्गौ)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्; विध्यर्थः

• स्वशाखोक्तविधानेन: by the procedure stated in one’s own Vedic school
• स्वशाखोक्तविधानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + शाखा (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्त (वच्-धातु, क्त) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य शाखया उक्तं विधानम्)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

• यथाविधि: according to the prescribed rule
• यथाविधि: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण): 'विधिना यथा' = according to rule

Speaker

Deductive (contextual narrator within Brahmakhaṇḍa)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpas/disciples

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee at the water’s edge ties his śikhā, adjusts the bathing cloth, then steps into the water with composed posture; nearby, other pilgrims maintain respectful spacing.

Characters & Entities

• Vedic Śākhā (by reference)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual purity is aligned with tradition: one honors dharma by observing both bodily discipline and one’s received Vedic procedure.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named; the emphasis is on correct conduct while bathing in water.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tie the śikhā, wear the appropriate cloth, enter the water, and bathe following one’s own śākhā’s injunctions.