Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 133

Devanagari script

न नद्यां मेहनं कुर्यान्न श्मशाने नभस्मनि । न गोमये न कृष्टे च नैवालूने न शाड्वले

Transliteration

na nadyāṃ mehanaṃ kuryānna śmaśāne nabhasmani | na gomaye na kṛṣṭe ca naivālūne na śāḍvale

Translation

On ne doit pas uriner dans une rivière, ni dans un lieu de crémation, ni sur des cendres ; ni sur de la bouse de vache, ni sur une terre labourée ; ni sur des récoltes non coupées, ni sur l’herbe verte.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• नद्याम्: in a river
• नद्याम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• मेहनम्: urination
• मेहनम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेहन (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 (3rd sg)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• श्मशाने: in a cremation ground
• श्मशाने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• भस्मनि: in ashes
• भस्मनि: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• गोमये: in cow-dung
• गोमये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• कृष्टे: in ploughed land
• कृष्टे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

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

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Nipata (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis/only)

• अलूने: in uncut (grass/field)
• अलूने: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अलून (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• शाड्वले: on turf/grassland
• शाड्वले: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाड्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nadī-jala (generic tīrtha river)

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverbank with pilgrims bathing; a cremation ground with a śmaśāna fire in the distance; nearby fields with standing crops and a green meadow; the central figure walks away to a secluded barren patch, indicating restraint and protection of sacred/nourishing places.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma includes non-defilement: do not pollute waters, sacred grounds, or life-supporting land; reverence extends to nature and ritual substances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named, but rivers are treated as sacred and protected from defilement.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A prohibition: avoid urination in rivers, cremation grounds, on ashes, cow-dung, ploughed fields, standing crops, and green grass.