Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

चित्रितं चित्रशास्त्रज्ञै रत्नचूर्णैः समु्ज्वलैः । स्वस्तिकैः पत्रवल्याद्यैर्लिंगोद्भवलतादिभिः

Transliteration

citritaṃ citraśāstrajñai ratnacūrṇaiḥ samu्jvalaiḥ | svastikaiḥ patravalyādyairliṃgodbhavalatādibhiḥ

Translation

وقد زُخرف برسومٍ فنية على يد العارفين بفنون الزينة المقدّسة، وأشرق بمساحيق الجواهر اللامعة؛ ووُسِمَ بعلامات السڤاستيكا، ونقوش الكروم والأوراق، وبهيئاتٍ مباركة مثل «ليṅغودبهاڤا» أي ظهور اللِّنگا، وسائر الصور الميمونة.

Word by Word

• citritam: decorated/painted
• citritam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √citr (चित्र—चित्रणे)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (painted/variegated)

• citra-śāstra-jñaiḥ: by experts in painting/art
• citra-śāstra-jñaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (citraśāstre jñāḥ = experts in the art/science of painting)

• ratna-cūrṇaiḥ: with gem-powders
• ratna-cūrṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + cūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ratnānāṃ cūrṇaiḥ)

• samujjvalaiḥ: very bright, shining
• samujjvalaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√jval (ज्वल्—दीप्तौ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-भावे विशेषणवत्), तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; (very bright/shining)

• svastikaiḥ: with swastika motifs
• svastikaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svastika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• patravallī-ādyaiḥ: with leaf-vines and the like
• patravallī-ādyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patravallī (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (patravallī-ādi = leaf-creepers and the like)

• liṅga-udbhava-latā-ādibhiḥ: with motifs like the Liṅga-emergence creeper, etc.
• liṅga-udbhava-latā-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक) + latā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला (liṅgodbhavā latā = the creeper of the Liṅga’s emergence; and others)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual floor and walls painted by expert artisans: bright gem-powder designs, svastikas, curling leaf-vines, and a central Liṅgodbhava motif—Śiva as an infinite pillar of light—rendered as an auspicious emblem.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious symbols and Śaiva iconography sanctify the mind; beauty becomes a vehicle for dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, presented as a divinely ornamented realm fit for Śiva’s worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ritual decoration (alaṅkāra) using auspicious signs like svastika and Śaiva motifs such as liṅgodbhava.