Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

रजस्वलां व्रजेद्यो वा पुरुषः काममोहितः । नग्नः शेते तथा स्नाति भक्षणीयः स सत्वरम्

Transliteration

rajasvalāṃ vrajedyo vā puruṣaḥ kāmamohitaḥ | nagnaḥ śete tathā snāti bhakṣaṇīyaḥ sa satvaram

Translation

കാമമോഹിതനായ പുരുഷൻ രജസ്വലായ സ്ത്രീയെ സമീപിക്കുകയോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ നഗ്നനായി അങ്ങനെ തന്നെ ശയിച്ചു അങ്ങനെ തന്നെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്യുകയോ ചെയ്താൽ—അവൻ ഉടൻ ഭക്ഷണീയൻ (അശുഭശക്തികളുടെ ഇര) ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• रजस्वलाम्: a menstruating woman
• रजस्वलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस्वला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; (feminine, accusative singular)

• व्रजेत्: should go (to)
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (should go)

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

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (particle of alternative: or)

• पुरुषः: a man
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (masculine, nominative singular)

• काममोहितः: deluded by lust
• काममोहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + मोहित (कृदन्त; मुह्→मोहित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past passive participle) ‘मोहित’; तत्पुरुष-समास (कामेन मोहितः); (deluded by desire)

• नग्नः: naked
• नग्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (masculine, nominative singular)

• शेते: lies down/sleeps
• शेते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; (lies/sleeps)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: thus/likewise)

• स्नाति: bathes
• स्नाति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (bathes)

• भक्षणीयः: to be eaten; edible (i.e., liable to be devoured)
• भक्षणीयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु) + अनीय (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनीय-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: fit to be eaten)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (he)

• सत्वरम्: quickly
• सत्वरम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सत्वरम् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: quickly/immediately)

Speaker

Unspecified (deduced: narrator voice in Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau at a riverside tīrtha: a pilgrim tempted by lust is halted by unseen guardians; shadowy graha/bhūta figures symbolize ‘being devoured’ as the consequence of transgression, while the tīrtha waters gleam as a boundary of purity.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It enforces restraint and respect for ritual boundaries, presenting uncontrolled desire and improper conduct as spiritually destructive.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse does not specify a tīrtha; it is a conduct-based admonition within the larger tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observe purity-boundaries related to menstruation and maintain modest, disciplined behavior in sleeping and bathing.