Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

त्रिभिराचमनैः शुद्धिर्ब्राह्मणस्य निगद्यते । अद्भिस्तु प्रकृतिस्थाभिर्हीनाभिः फेनबुद्बुदैः

Transliteration

tribhirācamanaiḥ śuddhirbrāhmaṇasya nigadyate | adbhistu prakṛtisthābhirhīnābhiḥ phenabudbudaiḥ

Translation

Declara-se que a pureza de um brāhmaṇa é alcançada por três atos de ācāmana—usando água em seu estado natural, livre de espuma e bolhas.

Word by Word

• त्रिभिः: by three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by three)

• आचमनैः: by (three) sippings
• आचमनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ-√चम् (धातु) → आचमन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by sippings)

• शुद्धिः: purification
• शुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (purification)

• ब्राह्मणस्य: of a Brahmin
• ब्राह्मणस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; Genitive singular (of a Brahmin)

• निगद्यते: is stated
• निगद्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√गद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive): is stated/declared

• अद्भिः: with water
• अद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/अद् (प्रातिपदिक ‘water’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (with waters)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-अव्यय; particle (but/indeed)

• प्रकृतिस्थाभिः: with (waters) in their natural state
• प्रकृतिस्थाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रकृतौ स्थाः)

• हीनाभिः: devoid of
• हीनाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हीन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (devoid of)

• फेनबुद्बुदैः: foam and bubbles
• फेनबुद्बुदैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फेन (प्रातिपदिक) + बुद्बुद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (फेनाश्च बुद्बुदाश्च)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (deductive attribution)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-priest at a riverbank or temple threshold performs three ācamana sips from a small vessel, carefully selecting clear, still water without froth; the setting is calm and orderly, emphasizing ritual exactness.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity is upheld through disciplined, repeatable practice; even small procedural details reflect reverence for dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse supports tīrtha-oriented worship by defining the standards of ritual cleanliness.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform three ācamanas for purification, using water that is naturally settled and free from foam and bubbles.