Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

न शिखां नोपवीतं च नोच्च रेत्संस्कृतां गिरम् । न पठेद्वेदवचनं त्रैरात्रं न हि सेवयेत्

Transliteration

na śikhāṃ nopavītaṃ ca nocca retsaṃskṛtāṃ giram | na paṭhedvedavacanaṃ trairātraṃ na hi sevayet

Translation

ശിഖ വയ്ക്കരുത്, ഉപവീതം ധരിക്കരുത്; സംസ്കൃതവാണി ഉച്ചരിക്കരുത്. വേദവചനങ്ങൾ പാരായണം ചെയ്യരുത്; ഇവിടെ ത്രൈരാത്രവ്രതവും അനുഷ്ഠിക്കരുത്.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• शिखाम्: topknot/tuft
• शिखाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• उपवीतम्: sacred thread
• उपवीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• उच्चरेत्: should utter
• उच्चरेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• संस्कृताम्: refined/Sanskrit
• संस्कृताम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संस्कृत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गिरम्)

• गिरम्: speech
• गिरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• पठेत्: should recite/read
• पठेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• वेदवचनम्: Vedic utterance/statement
• वेदवचनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य वचनम्)

• त्रैरात्रम्: for three nights (a three-night period)
• त्रैरात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः रात्रयः)

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• सेवयेत्: should practice/observe
• सेवयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सेव् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rule-setting scene: pilgrims at Prabhāsa being instructed not to adopt śikhā/upavīta or recite Veda; a small group stands near Somnātha precinct, with a vrata calendar board indicating trairātra crossed out.

Characters & Entities

• śikhā
• upavīta
• Veda
• trairātra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha practice is presented as regulated by role-based dharma and specific vows rather than personal display.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where conduct and observances are being codified.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Restrictions on śikhā/upavīta display, Vedic recitation, and the trairātra observance in this context.