Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 165

Devanagari script

अंतजानुस्त्रिराचामेद्दिर्मुखं परिमार्जयेत् । तोयेन स्पर्शयेत्खानि स्वमूर्धानं तथैव च

Transliteration

aṃtajānustrirācāmeddirmukhaṃ parimārjayet | toyena sparśayetkhāni svamūrdhānaṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

Seated with the knees drawn in, one should perform ācamana three times and carefully wipe the face. With water one should touch the sense-openings, and likewise touch one’s own head.

Word by Word

• अन्तजानु: with knees drawn in (within the knees)
• अन्तजानु: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial qualifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (within the knees), अव्ययवत् विशेषणम्; उपविश्य-क्रियाविशेषण (sitting with knees drawn in)

• त्रिः: three times
• त्रिः: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thrice)

• आचामेत्: should sip (water)
• आचामेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + चम (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• द्विः: two times
• द्विः: Kriya-vishesana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्विः (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (adverb: twice)

• मुखम्: mouth/face
• मुखम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (accusative singular)

• परिमार्जयेत्: should wipe/clean
• परिमार्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + मृज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तोयेन: with water
• तोयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया एकवचन (instrumental singular)

• स्पर्शयेत्: should touch
• स्पर्शयेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense possible): should touch

• खानि: (bodily) openings
• खानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया बहुवचन (accusative plural); here: इन्द्रिय-छिद्राणि (bodily apertures)

• स्वमूर्धानम्: one's own head
• स्वमूर्धानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: स्वस्य मूर्धानम् (one's own head)

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: indeed/just)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee seated on a clean mat, knees drawn in, performs triple ācāmana from a small water pot, then touches eyes/ears and crown, face serene, shrine lamp glowing nearby.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is both bodily and intentional—small rites train mindfulness before sacred practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified; the instruction is a general śauca-vidhi.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform ācamana thrice in a proper seated posture; cleanse the face; touch the sense-openings and the head with water.