Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 82

Devanagari script

आदौ स्नानं प्रकुर्वित भस्मस्नानमथापि वा । आपद्गतः कण्ठस्नानं मन्त्रस्नानमथापि वा

Transliteration

ādau snānaṃ prakurvita bhasmasnānamathāpi vā | āpadgataḥ kaṇṭhasnānaṃ mantrasnānamathāpi vā

Translation

ആദ്യം സ്നാനം ചെയ്യണം—ജലസ്നാനം അല്ലെങ്കിൽ ഭസ്മസ്നാനവും. ആപത്തിൽ ആണെങ്കിൽ കണ്ഠസ്നാനം (ഭാഗിക ശുദ്ധി) അല്ലെങ്കിൽ മന്ത്രസ്നാനം (മന്ത്രശുദ്ധി) ചെയ്യാം.

Word by Word

• आदौ: at first
• आदौ: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचनरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम्; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• स्नानम्: bath
• स्नानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रकुर्वीत: should perform
• प्रकुर्वीत: Kriya (Injunction/विधि-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः—प्र

• भस्मस्नानम्: bath with ash
• भस्मस्नानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—भस्मेन स्नानम् (तत्पुरुष)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक (particle: then/now)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपवादार्थक (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक (disjunctive)

• आपद्गतः: one who has fallen into distress
• आपद्गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आपद् + गत (गम्-धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); समासः—आपदि गतः (तत्पुरुष)

• कण्ठस्नानम्: neck-deep bath / bath up to the throat
• कण्ठस्नानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्ठ + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कण्ठे स्नानम् / कण्ठपर्यन्तं स्नानम् (तत्पुरुष)

• मन्त्रस्नानम्: mantra-bath (ritual bath with mantras)
• मन्त्रस्नानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—मन्त्रेण स्नानम् (तत्पुरुष)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक

Speaker

Mahākāla

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee prepares for Śiva worship: one panel shows river-bath, another shows bhāsma-snāna, another shows partial neck-ablution during hardship, and a final panel shows mantra-japa radiating purity.

Characters & Entities

• snāna
• bhasma
• mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity for worship is important, yet dharma is compassionate—allowing alternate purifications in hardship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse gives general pūjā-preparatory instructions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform snāna before worship; options include water-bath, bhasma-snāna, and in emergencies kaṇṭha-snāna or mantra-snāna.