Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

स्नानं कुर्य्यात्ततो विप्राः कृत्वा शिरसि तारकम् । देवान्मनुप्यान्सन्तर्प्य पितॄनथ विशेषतः

Transliteration

snānaṃ kuryyāttato viprāḥ kṛtvā śirasi tārakam | devānmanupyānsantarpya pitṝnatha viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Dann, o Brāhmaṇas, soll man das rituelle Bad vollziehen; das «tāraka» auf das Haupt legend, bringe man Tarpaṇa dar zur Sättigung der Götter und der Menschen und dann—insbesondere—der Ahnen (Pitṛ).

Word by Word

• स्नानम्: bath, bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्म/विधेयवस्तु (neuter, nominative/accusative singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/क्रमवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of sequence: then/thereafter)

• विप्राः: O Brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana/Address (Vocative sense/सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन (masculine nominative plural)

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (having done)

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन (locative singular)

• तारकम्: a ‘tāraka’ mark/symbol (protective sign)
• तारकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन (accusative singular)

• देवान्: the gods
• देवान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन (accusative plural)

• मनुप्यान्: humans
• मनुप्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन (accusative plural)

• सन्तर्प्य: having satisfied (with offerings)
• सन्तर्प्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु) + सम्- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त-समकक्ष अव्यय (gerund), परिपूरणार्थक: ‘सन्तर्प्य’ = तर्पयित्वा (having satisfied/propitiated)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), बहुवचन (accusative plural)

• अथ: then/next
• अथ: Discourse particle (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (particle: then/next)

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: especially)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating (contextual attribution within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Rukmiṇī-hrada / Dvārakā tīrtha waters

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: viprāḥ (addressed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim emerges from sacred waters, a ritual mark/object (‘tāraka’) placed on the head; then stands at the water’s edge offering libations with cupped hands, first to devas and humans, then solemnly to ancestors.

Characters & Entities

• Snāna
• Devas
• Pitṛs
• Tāraka (ritual token/mark)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is not only personal purification but also gratitude—expressed through offerings to devas, society, and especially one’s ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The bathing and tarpaṇa are prescribed in the context of Rukmiṇī-hrada/Bhṛgu-tīrtha at Dvārakā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform snāna, observe the ‘tāraka’ head-rite, and do tarpaṇa for devas, humans, and particularly for pitṛs.