Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

भीतिषु प्राणबाधायां कुर्यान्मलविसर्जनम् । मुखेनोपधमेन्नाग्निं नग्नां नेक्षेत योषितम्

Transliteration

bhītiṣu prāṇabādhāyāṃ kuryānmalavisarjanam | mukhenopadhamennāgniṃ nagnāṃ nekṣeta yoṣitam

Translation

Only in times of fear or when life is endangered should one discharge excrement. One should not blow upon fire with the mouth, and one should not gaze upon a naked woman.

Word by Word

• भीतिषु: in (times of) fear
• भीतिषु: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-बहुवचनम् — locative plural feminine

• प्राणबाधायाम्: in danger to life
• प्राणबाधायाम्: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + बाधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-एकवचनम् — locative singular feminine; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्राणानां बाधा)

• कुर्यात्: may/should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् — should do

• मलविसर्जनम्: evacuation of feces
• मलविसर्जनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मल (प्रातिपदिक) + विसर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् — accusative singular neuter; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मलस्य विसर्जनम्)

• मुखेन: with the mouth
• मुखेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-एकवचनम् — instrumental singular neuter

• उपधमेत्: should blow
• उपधमेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√ध्मा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् — should blow (upon)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् — accusative singular masculine

• नग्नाम्: naked
• नग्नाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् — accusative singular feminine; विशेषणम् (योषितम् प्रति)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• ईक्षेत: should see/look
• ईक्षेत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् — should look at

• योषितम्: a woman
• योषितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योषित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-एकवचनम् — accusative singular feminine

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī-kṣetra (general ācāra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim near a small sacred fire (lamp or homa fire) respectfully fans it without blowing; the pilgrim averts the gaze modestly while moving through a crowded sacred lane; urgency and restraint are contrasted symbolically.

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Kāśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is restraint: exceptions are only for preserving life; otherwise maintain reverence for Agni and uphold modesty.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred context of these conduct rules within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Emergency-only allowance for waste discharge; do not blow on sacred fire; maintain modest gaze and conduct.