Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

पर्वकाले दिवा चाप्सु वियोनौ पशुयोनिषु । रजस्वलास्वयोनौ च मैथुनं यः समाचरेत्

Transliteration

parvakāle divā cāpsu viyonau paśuyoniṣu | rajasvalāsvayonau ca maithunaṃ yaḥ samācaret

Translation

Quiconque s’adonne à l’union charnelle aux temps interdits, en plein jour, dans l’eau, d’une manière contre nature, avec des animaux ou avec une femme en période de menstrues—une telle conduite est blâmée comme péché.

Word by Word

• पर्वकाले: at the time of a festival/holy day
• पर्वकाले: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पर्वणः कालः) अधिकरणम्

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: by day)

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

• अप्सु: in water
• अप्सु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक; जल)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; ‘अप्’ शब्दस्य सप्तमीबहुवचनम्

• वियोनौ: in an improper place (improper sexual context)
• वियोनौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘वियोनि’ = विपरीता/अयुक्ता योनि (improper place)

• पशुयोनिषु: with animals / in animal wombs (bestiality)
• पशुयोनिषु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पशूनां योनिः)

• रजस्वलासु: with menstruating women
• रजस्वलासु: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस्वला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; रजस्वला = menstruating woman

• अयोनौ: in an improper organ/place
• अयोनौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ (नञ्) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; नञ्-समासः (अयोनि = अयुक्ता/अनुचित-योनि)

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

• मैथुनम्: sexual intercourse
• मैथुनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (object)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम

• समाचरेत्: should perform/practise
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष? actually तृतीयपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; ‘समाचरेत्’ = should practice/does (in injunctive sense)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Inquiring interlocutor within Kaumārikākhaṇḍa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic moral tableau: a pilgrim at a riverbank turns away from temptation; parva-day markers (moon/ritual flags) indicate forbidden time; water-body shown as sacred, not a place for transgression.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-restraint and purity protect spiritual merit; violating boundaries of time, place, and propriety is adharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is referenced; it is a general purity rule supporting vrata and tīrtha observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid prohibited maithuna, especially on sacred days and impure contexts; no positive rite is specified.