Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 135

Devanagari script

अपविद्धापशौचाश्च वर्जयेत्पंच मृत्तिकाः । गन्धलेपापहरणं शौचं कुर्यात्तथा बुधः

Transliteration

apaviddhāpaśaucāśca varjayetpaṃca mṛttikāḥ | gandhalepāpaharaṇaṃ śaucaṃ kuryāttathā budhaḥ

Translation

One should avoid the five kinds of earth used for cleansing when they are defiled or improperly cast away; the wise should perform purification so that odors and smeared traces are removed.

Word by Word

• अपविद्ध: discarded
• अपविद्ध: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप + विद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √व्यध्/विध्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण (thrown away/discarded)

• अपशौचाः: impure (things)/uncleanliness
• अपशौचाः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral); अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; ‘five’

• मृत्तिकाः: clods of earth/earth (for cleansing)
• मृत्तिकाः: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• गन्धलेपापहरणम्: removal of fragrance and unguent
• गन्धलेपापहरणम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + लेप (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (gandhasya lepasyā-paharaṇam = removal of scent/ointment)

• शौचम्: purification
• शौचम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (likewise/thus)

• बुधः: a wise man
• बुधः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A wise practitioner examines earth before use, rejecting a soiled heap; he chooses clean soil from a pure spot, performs cleansing thoroughly until no stain or odor remains; a small water pot and ācamana spoon are nearby.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cleanliness is not symbolic alone—true śauca means avoiding contaminated means and achieving real purity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the teaching applies broadly to daily religious discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid impure/contaminated cleansing earths; cleanse until smells and stains are removed.