Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 54

Devanagari script

नवमं वै चूडकर्म दशमं मौञ्जिबन्धनम् । ऐषिकं दार्विकं चैव सौमिकं भौमिकं तथा

Transliteration

navamaṃ vai cūḍakarma daśamaṃ mauñjibandhanam | aiṣikaṃ dārvikaṃ caiva saumikaṃ bhaumikaṃ tathā

Translation

नववा चूडाकर्म (मुंडन) आणि दहावा मौञ्जीबंध (मुंजा-मेखला बांधणे) होय. तसेच ऐषिक, दार्विक, सौमिक व भौमिक अशा विधीही आहेत.

Word by Word

• navamam: the ninth
• navamam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: navama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• cūḍakarma: the tonsure rite (cūḍākarman)
• cūḍakarma: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cūḍā (प्रातिपदिक) + karma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘चूडायाः कर्म’ (tonsure rite)

• daśamam: the tenth
• daśamam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• mauñjibandhanam: the muñja-girding (sacred girdle tying)
• mauñjibandhanam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mauñjī (प्रातिपदिक) + bandhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘मौञ्ज्याः बन्धनम्’ (girding with muñja)

• aiṣikam: made of reed / reed-related
• aiṣikam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aiṣika (प्रातिपदिक; iṣikā-सम्बन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण

• dārvikam: wooden / made of wood
• dārvikam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dārvika (प्रातिपदिक; dāru-सम्बन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक निपात

• saumikam: Soma-related
• saumikam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saumika (प्रातिपदिक; soma-सम्बन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण

• bhaumikam: earth-related / terrestrial
• bhaumikam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaumika (प्रातिपदिक; bhūmi-सम्बन्धि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण

• tathā: likewise / also
• tathā: Sambandha (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A boy’s tonsure (cūḍākarman) and upanayana preparation: shaving with ritual care, then tying the muñja girdle; samidh bundles, wooden ladles, and soma/earth symbolism indicated by ritual vessels and a small fire altar.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Cūḍākarman
• Mauñjībandhana
• Soma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tradition emphasizes gradual refinement through structured rites, preparing one for disciplined spiritual life and Vedic responsibility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it continues a saṃskāra catalog within Revā Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It names Cūḍākarman and Mauñjī-bandhana and references additional categorized rites (aiṣika, dārvika, saumika, bhaumika).