Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

तवापि भस्मसंपर्कात्संजाता विमला मतिः । त्वमपि श्रद्धया पुण्यं धारयस्व त्रिपुंड्रकम्

Transliteration

tavāpi bhasmasaṃparkātsaṃjātā vimalā matiḥ | tvamapi śraddhayā puṇyaṃ dhārayasva tripuṃḍrakam

Translation

Auch in dir ist durch die Berührung mit der heiligen Asche ein geläuterter Sinn erwacht. So trage auch du im Glauben das heilige Tripuṇḍra.

Word by Word

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• भस्म-संपर्कात्: from contact with ash
• भस्म-संपर्कात्: Apadana (Source/From)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भस्मस्य संपर्कः), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• संजाता: has arisen/been produced
• संजाता: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √जन् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विमला: pure/spotless
• विमला: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मतिः: understanding/mind
• मतिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय (also)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुण्यम्: meritorious/holy
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धारयस्व: wear/hold (you should)
• धारयस्व: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्: the tripuṇḍra (three ash-marks)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्ड्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रयः पुण्ड्रकाः यस्य/त्रि-पुण्ड्रक), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Vāmadeva (contextual; immediately followed by Sūta’s narration of Vāmadeva’s act)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ghora (the Brahma-rākṣasa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śaiva guru instructs a formerly afflicted being: the guru holds sacred ash; the disciple’s face shows dawning clarity as tripuṇḍra is recommended with śraddhā.

Characters & Entities

• Bhasma
• Tripuṇḍra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred ash and faith-based observance purify the mind and orient one toward higher dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the emphasis is on the ritual emblem (Tripuṇḍra) and the sanctifying power of bhasma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To wear (dhārayasva) the Tripuṇḍra with faith (śraddhā), linked with bhasma.