Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

यदि न क्रियते पानमंगप्रक्षालनं तथा । तत्किमर्थं पूर्तधर्माः क्रियन्ते धर्मशालिभिः

Transliteration

yadi na kriyate pānamaṃgaprakṣālanaṃ tathā | tatkimarthaṃ pūrtadharmāḥ kriyante dharmaśālibhiḥ

Translation

若饮水与洗净肢体都不可为，那么持法之人又为何要行诸公共功德（pūrta-dharma）之业？

Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Avyaya (Condition/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, शर्तार्थक (conditional conjunction: if)

• न: not
• न: Avyaya (Negation/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध (negation)

• क्रियते: is done
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive: is done)

• पानम्: drinking
• पानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अङ्गप्रक्षालनम्: washing of the limbs
• अङ्गप्रक्षालनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रक्षालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'अङ्गानां प्रक्षालनम्'

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Avyaya (Manner/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारार्थक (adverb: likewise/so)

• तत्: then
• तत्: Avyaya (Discourse/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (particle: then/that being so)

• किम्: why
• किम्: Avyaya (Question/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग, प्रश्नार्थक (interrogative particle: why/what)

• अर्थम्: purpose
• अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूर्तधर्माः: acts of pūrta-dharma (public meritorious works)
• पूर्तधर्माः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्त (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे: 'पूर्ताः धर्माः' (acts of public merit)

• क्रियन्ते: are performed
• क्रियन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive: are done)

• धर्मशालिभिः: by the righteous
• धर्मशालिभिः: Karana (Agent-in-passive/कर्ता-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + शालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष: 'धर्मे शालिनः' (possessing dharma)

Speaker

Bhīma

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A rhetorical scene: speaker indicates a well/step-tank and a dharmaśālā, questioning the point of building them if water use is forbidden; pilgrims nearby with water pots.

Characters & Entities

• Bhīma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charitable public works have dharmic purpose—supporting life through water and cleanliness—so practice should align with that intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None by name; the verse speaks broadly about ponds/water-works and their dharmic rationale.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It indirectly supports drinking water and aṅga-prakṣālana as legitimate aims of dharmic water-reservoirs and tīrtha facilities.