Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

वर्जिते दिवसे चैव गडूषांश्चैव षोडश । तत्तत्पद्मसुगन्धैर्वा मुखशुद्धिं च कारयेत्

Transliteration

varjite divase caiva gaḍūṣāṃścaiva ṣoḍaśa | tattatpadmasugandhairvā mukhaśuddhiṃ ca kārayet

Translation

ദന്തകാഷ്ഠം ഒഴിവാക്കേണ്ട ദിവസങ്ങളിൽ പതിനാറ് ഗണ്ഡൂഷങ്ങൾ (കുളുക്ക്/ഗർഗരം) ചെയ്യണം; അല്ലെങ്കിൽ പദ്മസുഗന്ധാദി സുഗന്ധദ്രവ്യങ്ങളാൽ മുഖശുദ്ധി വരുത്തണം।

Word by Word

• वर्जिते: on a forbidden (day)
• वर्जिते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वर्ज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (locative singular: on a forbidden [day])

• दिवसे: on the day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, locative singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (indeed)

• गडूषान्: mouthfuls/gargles (holding water in mouth)
• गडूषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गडूष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masculine, accusative plural)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (indeed)

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; द्वितीया-बहुवचनार्थे (numeral: sixteen [of them])

• तत्: each
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-पूर्वपद (that/each)

• तत्: each
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (each)

• पद्मसुगन्धैः: with lotus fragrances (various)
• पद्मसुगन्धैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + सुगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-सम्भवः ‘पद्मस्य सुगन्धः’ (instrumental plural: with lotus-fragrances)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (Alternative/विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or)

• मुखशुद्धिम्: mouth-purification/cleanliness
• मुखशुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख + शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘मुखस्य शुद्धिः’ (feminine, accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• कारयेत्: should perform/should cause (to be done)
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative: should cause to be done/should perform)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya instructional tone)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim on a restricted day sets aside the twig and performs repeated garglings with scented water; lotus blossoms and perfume containers indicate the fragrant substitute.

Characters & Entities

• Gaḍūṣa
• Padma (lotus)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma adapts practice to circumstance: when one method is restricted, purity is preserved through approved alternatives.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra and its purity-discipline as part of its māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform sixteen gaḍūṣas (mouth-rinsings) or use lotus-scented substances for mouth purification when dantadhāvana is avoided.