Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

उच्छिष्टो यः पुमांस्तिष्ठेद्यो वा चत्वरमध्यगः । भक्षणीयः स सर्वाभिर्निर्विकल्पेन चेतसा

Transliteration

ucchiṣṭo yaḥ pumāṃstiṣṭhedyo vā catvaramadhyagaḥ | bhakṣaṇīyaḥ sa sarvābhirnirvikalpena cetasā

Translation

食べ残しの不浄にとどまる者、あるいは辻の真ん中に立つ男は、ためらいなき心をもって汝らすべてに食らわれるべきである。

Word by Word

• उच्छिष्टः: (one) with food-remnants/impure
• उच्छिष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उच्छिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative sg; ‘leftover/impure (after eating)’

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Relative pronoun; nominative sg

• पुमान्: a man
• पुमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुमांस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative sg (man)

• तिष्ठेत्: should stand/remain
• तिष्ठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — should stand/remain

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Relative pronoun; nominative sg

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

• चत्वर-मध्य-गः: standing in the middle of a crossroads/square
• चत्वर-मध्य-गः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चत्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ग (प्रातिपदिक; √गम्-सम्बद्ध)
• Form: सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘चत्वरस्य मध्ये गः’ (being in the middle of a square/crossroads); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — adjectival to यः/पुमान्

• भक्षणीयः: edible; to be eaten
• भक्षणीयः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) → भक्षणीय (कृदन्त, अनीयर्)
• Form: कर्मणि साध्य/योग्यतावाचक कृदन्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — fit to be eaten

• सः: he/that one
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Demonstrative pronoun

• सर्वाभिः: by all (of you/they)
• सर्वाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन — Instrumental plural (by all [fem.], i.e., by all of you/they)

• निर्विकल्पेन: without hesitation
• निर्विकल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्विकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसक/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental sg; ‘without hesitation/without alternative’ (agreeing with चेतसा)

• चेतसा: with (your) mind/intent
• चेतसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन — Instrumental sg (with mind)

Speaker

Unspecified (deduced: narrator voice in Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A four-way crossroads at dusk/night; a man stands in the center, marked by 'ucchiṣṭa' impurity (food remnants, unwashed mouth/hands); multiple shadowy beings encircle, poised to attack 'without hesitation'; distant temple light symbolizes refuge through purity and sacred space.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

One should avoid impurity and reckless liminal behavior; dharma emphasizes cleanliness and mindful conduct in public/threshold spaces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is explicitly mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Maintain śauca (avoid ucchiṣṭa state) and avoid improper lingering in liminal spaces like crossroads.