Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सशिखं वपनं पश्चात्कारयित्वा त्वरावितः । गतश्च तिष्ठते यत्र ब्रह्मघोषपरायणः

Transliteration

saśikhaṃ vapanaṃ paścātkārayitvā tvarāvitaḥ | gataśca tiṣṭhate yatra brahmaghoṣaparāyaṇaḥ

Translation

Ensuite, après s’être fait raser tout en conservant la śikhā, il se hâta vers le lieu où demeurait celui qui se vouait à la récitation védique (brahmaghoṣa).

Word by Word

• सशिखम्: with the tuft (śikhā)
• सशिखम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स+शिख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative, Singular: 'with the topknot')

• वपनम्: shaving (of the head)
• वपनम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वपन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: अधिकरण (कालाधिकरण / sequence)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'afterwards')

• कारयित्वा: having had (it) done
• कारयित्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (पूर्वकाल / prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) (णिच् causative: कारय-)
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund): 'having caused to be done'

• त्वरावितः: urged by haste
• त्वरावितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्वरा+आवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular: 'impelled by haste')

• गतः: having gone
• गतः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गत (गम्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (having gone)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: 'and')

• तिष्ठते: stands, remains
• तिष्ठते: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदी (3rd person singular: 'stands/remains')

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (देशाधिकरण / place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-सम्बन्ध-अव्यय (relative adverb: 'where')

• ब्रह्मघोषपरायणः: devoted to Vedic/Brahmanical chanting
• ब्रह्मघोषपरायणः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मघोष+परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative, Singular: 'devoted to Brahma-chanting')

Speaker

Narrator (deduced: Sūta/Lomaharṣaṇa-like purāṇic narrator in Māhātmya narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṃkhatīrtha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Post-bath, the pilgrim undergoes shaving while preserving the śikhā, then hastens toward a hermitage where Vedic chanting resounds; the air seems filled with brahmaghoṣa.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is both inner and outward: one seeks bodily discipline and then guidance from those grounded in sacred recitation and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The prior action is tied to Śaṃkhatīrtha; here the focus shifts to seeking a brahmin/teacher for dharmic procedure.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vapana (shaving/tonsure) while retaining the śikhā is described as part of the purificatory process.