Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

स्नानकर्मणि योग्यांश स्वादिष्ठायनमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

snānakarmaṇi yogyāṃśa svādiṣṭhāyanamuttamam

Translation

In the bathing rite (snāna), the most excellent and fitting portion is that known as Svādiṣṭhāyana.

Word by Word

• स्नानकर्मणि: in the bathing rite
• स्नानकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्नानस्य कर्म)

• योग्यांश: a suitable portion/part
• योग्यांश: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (योग्यः अंशः)

• स्वादिष्ठायनम्: the best approach/means (lit. 'path')
• स्वादिष्ठायनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वादिष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वादिष्ठस्य अयनम्)

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (स्वादिष्ठायनम् इत्यस्य)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher-priest points to a marked section in a manuscript labeled for snāna, while a disciple prepares water vessels and darbha, indicating the ‘right portion’ to chant during bathing.

Characters & Entities

• Snāna (ritual bath)
• Svādiṣṭhāyana (mantra/section)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even simple acts like bathing become sacred when aligned with śāstra-approved mantras and intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single named tīrtha appears in this line; it supports the general tīrtha-bathing procedure of the chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of a particular mantra/hymnic portion (Svādiṣṭhāyana) as especially appropriate for snāna.