Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अस्थिमालाचिताभस्म जटाधारी कुचैलवान् । चपलो मुक्तमर्यादस्तस्थुं नार्हसि मेऽग्रतः

Transliteration

asthimālācitābhasma jaṭādhārī kucailavān | capalo muktamaryādastasthuṃ nārhasi me'grataḥ

Translation

അസ്ഥിമാല ധരിച്ച്, ചിതാഭസ്മം പുരട്ടി, ജടാധാരിയായി ചീത്തവസ്ത്രധാരിയായി—ചഞ്ചലനും സകലമര്യാദയും ഉപേക്ഷിച്ചവനുമായ നീ—എന്റെ മുമ്പിൽ നിൽക്കാൻ അർഹനല്ല।

Word by Word

• अस्थिमालाचिताभस्म: (one) with ashes from a bone-garlanded pyre
• अस्थिमालाचिताभस्म: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अस्थि (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + चित (कृदन्त) + भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (अस्थिमाला-चितं भस्म = ashes from a pyre adorned/strewn with a garland of bones); विशेषणरूपेण प्रयुक्तम्

• जटाधारी: wearing matted locks
• जटाधारी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटा (प्रातिपदिक) + धारी (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक, √धृ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जटानां धारी)

• कुचैलवान्: wearing filthy clothes
• कुचैलवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + चैल (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धितान्त ‘-वत्’ (possessing); तत्पुरुषभावः (कुचैलं यस्य सः)

• चपलः: restless/fickle
• चपलः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चपल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मुक्तमर्यादः: one who has abandoned all bounds
• मुक्तमर्यादः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्त (कृदन्त, √मुच्) + मर्यादा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (मुक्ता मर्यादा यस्य सः = one who has cast off propriety)

• तस्थुम्: to stand
• तस्थुम्: Kriya-artha (Purpose/क्रियार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (infinitive)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक निपात

• अर्हसि: are fit/are allowed
• अर्हसि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन (मम)

• अग्रतः: in front
• अग्रतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

Speaker

A strict authority figure addressing an ascetic-like transgressor (speaker not explicit in snippet; deduced as a dharmic householder/official voice within the narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A goddess confronts a cremation-ash-smeared ascetic figure with jaṭā and bone-garland, barring him from her presence; the moment is charged with indignation and wounded devotion.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer symbols of renunciation are not honored when paired with instability and disregard for moral boundaries (maryādā).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is named in this verse; it functions as character-judgment within the Tīrthamāhātmya narrative setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse critiques conduct and unfitness for audience, not a ritual instruction.