Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

यः कुर्याद्रजनीवक्त्रे दधिसक्तुप्रभक्षणम् । अंत्यजाभिगमं चाथ भक्षणीयो द्रुतं हि सः

Transliteration

yaḥ kuryādrajanīvaktre dadhisaktuprabhakṣaṇam | aṃtyajābhigamaṃ cātha bhakṣaṇīyo drutaṃ hi saḥ

Translation

സന്ധ്യാസമയത്ത് (രജനീവക്ത്രേ) ദധി-സക്തു ഭക്ഷിക്കുകയും, പിന്നെ നിഷിദ്ധസംഗം (അന്ത്യജാഭിഗമം) നടത്തുകയും ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ—അവൻ വേഗത്തിൽ ഭക്ഷണീയൻ ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

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

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (should do)

• रजनीवक्त्रे: at night (lit. in the mouth of night)
• रजनीवक्त्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजनी + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (रजन्याः वक्त्रम्/मुखम्); (in the face/mouth of night)

• दधिसक्तुप्रभक्षणम्: eating of curd and saktu
• दधिसक्तुप्रभक्षणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि + सक्तु + प्र + भक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (दधि-सक्तूनां प्रभक्षणम्); (eating curd and roasted flour)

• अन्त्यजाभिगमम्: approach/sexual union with an outcaste woman
• अन्त्यजाभिगमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्यजा + अभिगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (अन्त्यजायाः अभिगमः); (approaching an outcaste woman)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (and)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक/प्रस्तावक-अव्यय (then/now)

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

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

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-निपात (particle: indeed/for)

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

Speaker

Narratorial (contextual instruction within the Māhātmya; explicit speaker not stated in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dusk at a pilgrimage camp: the sky turns indigo; a devotee begins sandhyā while another indulges in food and illicit desire; the scene contrasts protective lamp-light around worship with encroaching darkness around transgression.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-restraint in food and conduct is presented as essential for maintaining purity and avoiding rapid spiritual and worldly downfall.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse functions as dharma-instruction within the Tīrthamāhātmya; it does not name a particular tīrtha in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid certain food consumption at nightfall and avoid prohibited sexual conduct, especially in a sacred-dharma context.