Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

पत्नीशालां गृहीत्वा च गायत्रीं मौनधारिणीम् । मेखलां निदधे चान्यां कट्यां मौंजीमयीं शुभाम्

Transliteration

patnīśālāṃ gṛhītvā ca gāyatrīṃ maunadhāriṇīm | mekhalāṃ nidadhe cānyāṃ kaṭyāṃ mauṃjīmayīṃ śubhām

Translation

ครั้นรับเอาปัตนีศาลาไว้ และทรงคาถาคายตรีพร้อมถือพรตแห่งความสงบเงียบแล้ว เขาก็รัดเอวด้วยเมขลาศุภมงคลอีกเส้นหนึ่งที่ถักจากหญ้ามุญชะ

Word by Word

• पत्नीशालाम्: the wife’s garment/covering (patnīśālā)
• पत्नीशालाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पत्नी-शाला (प्रातिपदिक; पत्नी + शाला)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पत्नीशाला = पत्नी-सम्बद्धा शाला/वस्त्रादि)

• गृहीत्वा: having taken
• गृहीत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया; उपसर्गः गृ(=ग्रह्)

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

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī (mantra/cord)
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मौनधारिणीम्: bearing silence (mauna-observing)
• मौनधारिणीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौन-धारिणी (प्रातिपदिक; मौन + धारिणी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (गायत्रीम् इति); समासः द्वितीया/उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (मौनं धारयति इति)

• मेखलाम्: girdle
• मेखलाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेखला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निदधे: placed, put on
• निदधे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; उपसर्गः नि

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

• अन्याम्: another
• अन्याम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मेखलाम् इति)

• कट्याम्: on the waist
• कट्याम्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• मौञ्जीमयीम्: made of muñja grass
• मौञ्जीमयीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौञ्जी-मय (प्रातिपदिक; मौञ्जी + मय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मेखलाम् इति); समासः तद्धितार्थे तत्पुरुषः (मौञ्ज्या मयी = made of muñja-grass)

• शुभाम्: auspicious, beautiful
• शुभाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मेखलाम् इति)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Nāgara Khaṇḍa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The initiate takes up ritual items, holds the Gāyatrī in silent contemplation, and ties an auspicious muñja-grass girdle around the waist—an image of disciplined readiness.

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• muñja (grass)
• patnīśālā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacrifice is grounded in inner restraint—silence, mantra-discipline, and purity of conduct—before outer ritual action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse sits within a Tīrthamāhātmya (praise of sacred place) setting, but this line specifically describes yajña-preparation rather than naming a distinct tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Adopting mauna (silence) with Gāyatrī observance and wearing an auspicious muñja-grass mekhalā as part of sacrificial discipline.