Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 159

Devanagari script

नित्यं नित्यं हि संमार्ष्टि गेहदर्पणयोरिव । शुक्लायां च चतुर्दश्यां नक्तभोजी सदा भवेत्

Transliteration

nityaṃ nityaṃ hi saṃmārṣṭi gehadarpaṇayoriva | śuklāyāṃ ca caturdaśyāṃ naktabhojī sadā bhavet

Translation

日々、家と鏡を磨くように、常に清浄を保つべきである。また、白分（明るい半月）の十四日には、常に夜のみ食する戒（ナクタ・ボージャ）を守るべきである。

Word by Word

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया-एकवचनप्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• नित्यम्: constantly
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (repetition for emphasis)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/हेतुबोधक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• संमार्ष्टि: cleans/polishes
• संमार्ष्टि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√मृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गेह-दर्पणयोः: of the house and the mirror
• गेह-दर्पणयोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गेह (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (गेहश्च दर्पणश्च)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• शुक्लायाम्: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्लायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘(तिथौ) शुक्लायाम्’

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

• चतुर्दश्याम्: on the fourteenth lunar day
• चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तिथिवाचक

• नक्त-भोजी: one who eats at night
• नक्त-भोजी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (नक्तं भोजी = who eats at night)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय

• भवेत्: should be
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee sweeping and washing a small shrine room; a polished mirror reflects a lamp flame; later, under moonlight, he takes a simple night meal after worship.

Characters & Entities

• Śukla-caturdaśī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer cleanliness supports inner clarity; periodic fasting disciplines the senses and strengthens devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse teaches a tithi-based Śaiva discipline.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain daily cleanliness; observe nakta-bhojana (night-only meal) on śukla-caturdaśī.