Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 164

Devanagari script

वर्ज्यं च मलिनं वस्त्रं दशाभिश्च विवर्जितम् । प्रक्षाल्य मुखहस्तौ च पादौ चाप्युपविश्य च

Transliteration

varjyaṃ ca malinaṃ vastraṃ daśābhiśca vivarjitam | prakṣālya mukhahastau ca pādau cāpyupaviśya ca

Translation

ควรหลีกเลี่ยงการสวมใส่เสื้อผ้าที่สกปรก และเสื้อผ้าที่ชำรุด (ไม่มีชายผ้าที่เหมาะสม) เมื่อล้างหน้า มือ และเท้าแล้ว จึงควรนั่งลงอย่างเรียบร้อย

Word by Word

• वर्ज्यम्: to be avoided
• वर्ज्यम्: Karma (Object predicate/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ज्य (प्रातिपदिक; वर्ज्-धातोः यत्/ण्यत्)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण (to be avoided), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

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

• मलिनम्: dirty
• मलिनम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मलिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• वस्त्रम्: cloth/garment
• वस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• दशाभिः: with fringes/borders
• दशाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

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

• विवर्जितम्: devoid of/without
• विवर्जितम्: Karma (Qualifier/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + वर्ज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषणम् (devoid of/without)

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + क्षल् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive): having washed

• मुखहस्तौ: face and hands
• मुखहस्तौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः: मुखं च हस्तौ च (face and hands)

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

• पादौ: (two) feet
• पादौ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया द्विवचन (accusative dual)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (also)

• उपविश्य: having sat down
• उपविश्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उप + विश् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्यय (absolutive): having sat down

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

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee rinses hands, face, and feet at a small water vessel near a temple veranda, changes into clean well-hemmed cloth, and sits on a mat facing a shrine.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer cleanliness and disciplined preparation support inner purity and readiness for sacred acts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse teaches general dharma-ācāra within the Māheśvara context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoid dirty/defective clothing; wash face, hands, and feet before sitting for religious activity.