Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

पश्चिमे दिनकाले हि प्राङ्मुखः प्राञ्जलिः शुचिः । चतुरस्रे मंडलेऽन्ये कृत्वा चैव समौ करौ

Transliteration

paścime dinakāle hi prāṅmukhaḥ prāñjaliḥ śuciḥ | caturasre maṃḍale'nye kṛtvā caiva samau karau

Translation

At the close of the day (towards the western time), let him, purified, face east with hands folded in añjali. Then, having made a separate square maṇḍala, let him set both hands evenly, in proper alignment.

Word by Word

• पश्चिमे: in the western (part)
• पश्चिमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘in the western (time/part)’

• दिनकाले: at daytime/time of day
• दिनकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (at the time of day)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• प्राङ्मुखः: facing east
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् (अव्यय/दिक्) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (east-facing)

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• प्राञ्जलिः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-धर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘with joined palms’

• शुचिः: pure/clean
• शुचिः: Karta (Subject attribute/कर्ता-धर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चतुरस्रे: in the square (one)
• चतुरस्रे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुरस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying मण्डले)

• मण्डले: in the circle/diagram
• मण्डले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्ये: in another
• अन्ये: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (in another)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund); ‘having made/done’

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• समौ: equal/even
• समौ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; विशेषण (qualifying करौ)

• करौ: two hands
• करौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Twilight setting; a purified participant stands east-facing with añjali; a square maṇḍala is drawn nearby; attendants ensure hands are aligned; lamps begin to glow as daylight fades.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (implied by surrounding rite context)
• Maṇḍala (ritual diagram)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity, right orientation (facing east), and disciplined posture are presented as prerequisites for an effective sacred rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; the emphasis is on correct ritual setup within the Kaumārikākhaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Face east at day’s end, remain purified with joined palms, and prepare a square maṇḍala while keeping both hands evenly positioned.