Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

दह्यमानं नरं सर्वे तुलसीकाष्ठवह्निना । विमानस्थाः सुरगणाः क्षिपंति कुसुमांजलीन्

Transliteration

dahyamānaṃ naraṃ sarve tulasīkāṣṭhavahninā | vimānasthāḥ suragaṇāḥ kṣipaṃti kusumāṃjalīn

Translation

Wenn ein Mensch im Feuer von Tulasī-Holz verbrannt wird, streuen die Götterscharen, auf ihren himmlischen Vimānas sitzend, eilends Handvoll Blumen über ihn.

Word by Word

• दह्यमानम्: being burnt
• दह्यमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) → दह्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः (present passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• नरम्: man, person
• नरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सुरगणाः इत्यस्य)

• तुलसीकाष्ठवह्निना: by the fire of tulasī-wood
• तुलसीकाष्ठवह्निना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी + काष्ठ + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; तुलसीकाष्ठस्य वह्निः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणम्

• विमानस्थाः: standing in aerial cars
• विमानस्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमान + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; विमाने स्थाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सुरगणाः)

• सुरगणाः: groups of gods
• सुरगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; सुराणां गणाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• क्षिपन्ति: they throw, cast
• क्षिपन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• कुसुमाञ्जलीन्: handfuls of flowers
• कुसुमाञ्जलीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; कुसुमानाम् अञ्जलयः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Prahlāda (within the Dvārakā Māhātmya narration; Sūta resumes at 43.22)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sky filled with devas in vimānas above a tulasī-fed pyre; they cast flower handfuls downward; the scene blends solemn rite with festival-like celestial shower.

Characters & Entities

• Tulasī
• Sura-gaṇa (gods)
• Vimāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A death sanctified by devotion is portrayed as honored by the cosmos itself, indicating divine recognition of dharmic, bhakti-filled rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s sacred tradition is the backdrop, within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s Dvārakā Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of Tulasī-wood in the cremation fire, leading to auspicious, deva-honored departure.