Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

वितस्तिमात्रमश्नीयाद्दीर्घं ह्रस्वं च वर्जयेत् । उदङ्मुखो वा प्राङ्मुखः सुखासीनोऽथ वाग्यतः

Transliteration

vitastimātramaśnīyāddīrghaṃ hrasvaṃ ca varjayet | udaṅmukho vā prāṅmukhaḥ sukhāsīno'tha vāgyataḥ

Translation

歯木はヴィタスティ（手のひらの一拃）ほどの長さを用い、長すぎるものや短すぎるものは避けよ。北または東に向かい、安楽に坐して、言葉を慎み沈黙せよ。

Word by Word

• वितस्तिमात्रम्: of span-length measure
• वितस्तिमात्रम्: Visheshana (Measure qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वितस्ति + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (वितस्तेः मात्रम् = ‘a span’s measure’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular (measure qualifying दन्तकाष्ठम् understood)

• अश्नीयात्: should eat/use (chew)
• अश्नीयात्: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Optative, 2nd person, Singular

• दीर्घम्: too long
• दीर्घम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular (object to be avoided)

• ह्रस्वम्: too short
• ह्रस्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular (object to be avoided)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; Conjunction

• वर्जयेत्: should avoid
• वर्जयेत्: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वर्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Optative, 2nd person, Singular

• उदङ्मुखः: north-facing
• उदङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (उदङ् = उत्तरदिक्; उदङ्मुखः = ‘north-facing’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय; Disjunctive particle

• प्राङ्मुखः: east-facing
• प्राङ्मुखः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राङ् + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (प्राङ् = पूर्वदिक्; ‘east-facing’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुखासीनः: seated comfortably
• सुखासीनः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + आसीन (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (सुखेन आसीनः); आसीन = आस् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय/PPP used adjectivally; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/प्रस्ताव-अव्यय; Discourse particle (‘then/and now’)

• वाक्: speech
• वाक्: Samasa-purvapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण); Feminine stem used as prior member ‘speech’

• यतः: restrained
• यतः: Karta (Subject-state/कर्ता-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘restrained/controlled’ (as in वाग्यतः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from instructional dharma tone within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at dawn in Prabhāsa sits on a clean mat facing east/north, holding a measured tooth-stick, silent and composed; the sea-breeze and tīrtha ambience suggest ritual readiness.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• Vitasti
• Dantakāṣṭha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right method and mindful restraint (including direction and silence) elevate routine acts into disciplined dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, whose māhātmya includes prescriptions for purified daily living.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use a span-length tooth-stick; sit comfortably; face north or east; keep silence while performing dantadhāvana.