Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अंगुष्ठमूलदेशेन ह्यधरोष्ठौ परि मृजेत् । स्पृष्ट्वा जलेन हृदयं समस्ताभिः शिरः स्पृशेत्

Transliteration

aṃguṣṭhamūladeśena hyadharoṣṭhau pari mṛjet | spṛṣṭvā jalena hṛdayaṃ samastābhiḥ śiraḥ spṛśet

Translation

Avec la région à la base du pouce, qu’on essuie la lèvre inférieure. Après avoir touché le cœur avec de l’eau, qu’on touche ensuite la tête avec tous (les doigts/les mains) réunis.

Word by Word

• अङ्गुष्ठमूलदेशेन: with the region at the base of the thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठमूलदेशेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठमूलदेश (प्रातिपदिक; अङ्गुष्ठ + मूल + देश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• अधरोष्ठौ: the lower lip (both sides)
• अधरोष्ठौ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर + ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• परि: around/fully
• परि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परि (अव्यय/उपसर्ग)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (preverb/adverb)

• मृजेत्: should wipe/cleanse
• मृजेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मृज् (धातु; मार्जने)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्पृष्ट्वा: having touched
• स्पृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु; स्पर्शने)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• जलेन: with water
• जलेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हृदयम्: the heart/chest
• हृदयम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• समस्ताभिः: with all (fingers) together
• समस्ताभिः: Karana (instrumental accompaniment)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समस्ता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of ‘अङ्गुलिभिः’ implied)

• शिरः: the head
• शिरः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्पृशेत्: should touch
• स्पृशेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्पृश् (धातु; स्पर्शने)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (deduced, Brāhma Khaṇḍa narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Brahma-tīrtha (hand-tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close-up of hands: thumb-base wiping lower lip; then wet fingertips touch the heart center; then both hands together touch the crown of the head—sequence shown like a ritual storyboard.

Characters & Entities

• Ācamana
• Brahma-tīrtha area (thumb-base)
• Hṛdaya
• Śiras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is embodied mindfulness: dharma is practiced through precise, reverent gestures.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; it describes bodily ritual actions rather than a geographic tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Wipe the lower lip with the thumb-base area; touch heart with water; then touch the head with all together.