Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

उदङ्मुखश्च यो रात्रौ दिवा वा दक्षिणामुखः । मूत्रोत्सर्गं पुरीष वा प्रकुर्याद्भक्ष्य एव सः

Transliteration

udaṅmukhaśca yo rātrau divā vā dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ | mūtrotsargaṃ purīṣa vā prakuryādbhakṣya eva saḥ

Translation

Quiconque urine ou défèque tourné vers le nord la nuit, ou vers le sud le jour, est véritablement déclaré « bon à dévorer », livré à un malheur prompt.

Word by Word

• उदङ्मुखः: facing north
• उदङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (उदङ्=उत्तरं, तन्मुखः); (north-facing)

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

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

• रात्रौ: at night
• रात्रौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (at night)

• दिवा: by day
• दिवा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: by day)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• दक्षिणामुखः: facing south
• दक्षिणामुखः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिणा + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (दक्षिणं मुखं यस्य); (south-facing)

• मूत्रोत्सर्गम्: urination
• मूत्रोत्सर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूत्र + उत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (मूत्रस्य उत्सर्गः); (urination)

• पुरीषम्: excrement
• पुरीषम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (feces/excrement)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

• प्रकुर्यात्: should do
• प्रकुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (should do/perform)

• भक्ष्यः: to be eaten; devourable
• भक्ष्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) + य (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive sense: to be eaten)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis: indeed/only)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (he)

Speaker

Narratorial (contextual instruction within the Māhātmya; explicit speaker not stated in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A schematic moral scene: a pilgrim about to relieve himself is redirected by a priest/guardian away from the sacred axis; directional markers (sun/day, moon/night) show the rule’s time-dependence.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma links bodily discipline and spatial orientation with spiritual safety and auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This is a general conduct rule within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative frame, not a single named site in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Directional restrictions for relieving oneself: avoid north-facing at night and south-facing by day.