Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

विविक्ते गृहमध्यस्थे मनोज्ञे दक्षिणाप्लवे । न यत्र जायते दृष्टिः पापानां क्रूरकर्मिणाम्

Transliteration

vivikte gṛhamadhyasthe manojñe dakṣiṇāplave | na yatra jāyate dṛṣṭiḥ pāpānāṃ krūrakarmiṇām

Translation

വീട്ടിനുള്ളിലെ ഏകാന്തവും മനോഹരവുമായ സ്ഥലത്ത്—തെക്കോട്ടു ചരിഞ്ഞ നിലത്ത്—പാപികളും ക്രൂരകർമ്മികളും നോക്കിക്കാണാത്തിടത്ത് (കർമ്മം) നടത്തണം.

Word by Word

• vivikte: in a secluded (place)
• vivikte: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-vic (विच् धातु) + vivikta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; स्थानविशेषण

• gṛha-madhya-sthe: situated in the middle of the house
• gṛha-madhya-sthe: Adhikarana (Location qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gṛha (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (गृहस्य मध्ये स्थितः), सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘(स्थाने)’ विशेषण

• manojñe: pleasant, agreeable
• manojñe: Adhikarana (Location qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: manojña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानविशेषण

• dakṣiṇā-plave: at the ‘Dakṣiṇāplava’ (a sacred bathing-place)
• dakṣiṇā-plave: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक) + plava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दक्षिणायाः प्लवः/प्लवने), सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; स्थान/तीर्थविशेष

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• jāyate: arises/occurs
• jāyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन् धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• dṛṣṭiḥ: sight, gaze
• dṛṣṭiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dṛṣṭi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• pāpānām: of sinful (people)
• pāpānām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘क्रूरकर्मिणाम्’ विशेषण

• krūra-karmiṇām: of cruel-doers
• krūra-karmiṇām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krūra (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक) + -in (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (क्रूरं कर्म येषां ते), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A secluded inner room/courtyard: clean floor slightly sloping south, kuśa mats aligned, a screen or doorway limiting outsiders; the rite arranged away from public view.

Characters & Entities

• Dakṣiṇa (south direction, ritual orientation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred acts are protected by proper space—privacy, auspicious orientation, and freedom from impure influence safeguard the rite’s sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned; the verse prescribes the appropriate setting for śrāddha within the tīrtha-focused chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Choose a secluded, pleasant spot inside the house, ideally with a southern slope, away from the sight of sinful or cruel persons.