Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 135
Devanagari script
अपविद्धापशौचाश्च वर्जयेत्पंच मृत्तिकाः । गन्धलेपापहरणं शौचं कुर्यात्तथा बुधः
Transliteration
apaviddhāpaśaucāśca varjayetpaṃca mṛttikāḥ | gandhalepāpaharaṇaṃ śaucaṃ kuryāttathā budhaḥ
Translation
用于净洁的五种土，若已污秽或弃置不当，当当远离；智者应行净化之法，使异味与涂抹之痕尽皆除去。
Word by Word
अपविद्धdiscarded
अपविद्ध:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootअप + विद्ध (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √व्यध्/विध्)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे समासपूर्वपद-रूपेण (thrown away/discarded)
अपशौचाःimpure (things)/uncleanliness
अपशौचाः:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootअपशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Nominative plural)
चand
च:
Samuccaya
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय
वर्जयेत्should avoid
वर्जयेत्:
Kriya (Action)
TypeVerb
Rootवृज्/वर्ज् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
पञ्चfive
पञ्च:
Visheshana (Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootपञ्च (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
Formसंख्यावाचक (numeral); अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; ‘five’
मृत्तिकाःclods of earth/earth (for cleansing)
मृत्तिकाः:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural)
गन्धलेपापहरणम्removal of fragrance and unguent
गन्धलेपापहरणम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootगन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + लेप (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular); बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (gandhasya lepasyā-paharaṇam = removal of scent/ointment)
शौचम्purification
शौचम्:
Karma (Object)
TypeNoun
Rootशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)
कुर्यात्should do
कुर्यात्:
Kriya (Action)
TypeVerb
Rootकृ (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
तथाthus/likewise
तथा:
Kriya-vishesana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (likewise/thus)
बुधःa wise man
बुधः:
Karta (Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootबुध (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)
Speaker
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A wise practitioner examines earth before use, rejecting a soiled heap; he chooses clean soil from a pure spot, performs cleansing thoroughly until no stain or odor remains; a small water pot and ācamana spoon are nearby.
FAQs
Cleanliness is not symbolic alone—true śauca means avoiding contaminated means and achieving real purity.
None is specified; the teaching applies broadly to daily religious discipline.
Avoid impure/contaminated cleansing earths; cleanse until smells and stains are removed.