Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

प्रथमं कायशुद्ध्यर्थं प्राजापत्यं समाचरेत् । शयने देवदेवस्य विशेषेण महत्तपः

Transliteration

prathamaṃ kāyaśuddhyarthaṃ prājāpatyaṃ samācaret | śayane devadevasya viśeṣeṇa mahattapaḥ

Translation

D’abord, pour la purification du corps, qu’on accomplisse l’observance Prājāpatya. Surtout durant le saint repos du Seigneur des dieux (Hariśayana), cela devient une grande austérité.

Word by Word

• प्रथमम्: firstly
• प्रथमम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable)

• कायशुद्ध्यर्थम्: for the purpose of bodily purification
• कायशुद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय + शुद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); प्रयोजनार्थ (purpose)

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prājāpatya (penance/rite)
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• समाचरेत्: should practice, should perform
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• शयने: in/at the bed, in lying down
• शयने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• विशेषेण: especially, particularly
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (instrumental used adverbially)

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narrative style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee preparing for Prājāpatya vrata—simple meal, water-pot, kusa grass—before a Vishnu shrine; in the background, Viṣṇu reclining on Śeṣa in the cosmic ocean indicating Hariśayana season.

Characters & Entities

• Deva-deva (Viṣṇu/Hari)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification begins with disciplined vows; observances performed during Hari’s śayana gain heightened spiritual potency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes a sacred time (Hariśayana/Cāturmāsya) rather than naming a particular tirtha in the text provided.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Practice the Prājāpatya vow/penance for bodily purification, particularly during the Deva-deva’s śayana period.