Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

कह्लारैः कमलैश्चापि चर्चितानि समंततः । कदंबैश्चक्रवाकैश्च तथैव जलकुक्कुटैः

Transliteration

kahlāraiḥ kamalaiścāpi carcitāni samaṃtataḥ | kadaṃbaiścakravākaiśca tathaiva jalakukkuṭaiḥ

Translation

وكانت تلك المياه مزدانة من كل جانب بزنابق الكهلارا وباللوتس؛ وكذلك بأشجار الكَدَمبا، وبطيور التشاكرافاكا، وبالطيور المائية، فازدادت بهاءً في ذلك الموضع المقدّس.

Word by Word

• कह्लारैः: by/with kahlāra lotuses
• कह्लारैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कह्लार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• कमलैः: by/with lotuses
• कमलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय; particle ‘also’

• चर्चितानि: adorned/covered
• चर्चितानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर्च् (धातु) → चर्चित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Plural

• समन्ततः: on all sides
• समन्ततः: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक; adverb ‘on all sides/everywhere’

• कदंबैः: by/with kadamba trees
• कदंबैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कदम्ब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• चक्रवाकैः: by/with cakravāka birds
• चक्रवाकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्रवाक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक; adverb ‘thus/also’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक अव्यय; particle ‘indeed/just’

• जलकुक्कुटैः: by/with waterfowl (water-cocks)
• जलकुक्कुटैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + कुक्कुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जलस्य कुक्कुटः), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive tatpuruṣa, Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra sarovara-parisara (lakeside sacred environs)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The lakes are ringed with kahlāra and kamala blossoms; kadamba trees lean over the banks; pairs of cakravāka birds call; waterfowl dot the surface, making the tīrtha sparkle with life.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• kahlāra
• kamala
• kadamba
• cakravāka
• jalakukkuṭa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha is portrayed as naturally “ornamented,” implying divine favor and a setting fit for pilgrimage, worship, and purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), especially its lotus-filled waters.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse continues the celebratory description of the holy environment.