Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तपः कुर्वंति विपुलं भस्मोद्धूलितविग्रहाः । जटामुकुटसंयुक्ता मुंजमेखलधारिणः

Transliteration

tapaḥ kurvaṃti vipulaṃ bhasmoddhūlitavigrahāḥ | jaṭāmukuṭasaṃyuktā muṃjamekhaladhāriṇaḥ

Translation

Sie übten reiche Askese: den Leib mit heiliger Asche bestreut, das Haupt mit jaṭā—verfilzten Haarlocken—gekrönt und mit einem Gürtel aus muñja-Gras umgürtet.

Word by Word

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• kurvanti: perform
• kurvanti: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• vipulam: abundant, great
• vipulam: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (tapaḥ)

• bhasmoddhūlitavigrahāḥ: whose bodies are dusted with ash
• bhasmoddhūlitavigrahāḥ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhasma-uddhūlita-vigraha (प्रातिपदिक; भस्म + उद्धूलित + विग्रह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; विशेषणम् (कर्तृपदस्य)

• jaṭāmukuṭasaṃyuktāḥ: wearing matted-hair crowns
• jaṭāmukuṭasaṃyuktāḥ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaṭā-mukuṭa-saṃyukta (प्रातिपदिक; जटा + मुकुट + संयुक्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; विशेषणम्

• muṃjamekhaladhāriṇaḥ: wearing girdles of muñja grass
• muṃjamekhaladhāriṇaḥ: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muṃja-mekhalā-dhārin (प्रातिपदिक; मुञ्ज + मेखला + धारिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kapāleśvara area (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A multitude of Pāśupata ascetics perform intense tapas: ash-smeared bodies, matted-lock crowns, and muñja-grass girdles, set against the sacred expanse of Prabhāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Pāśupata ascetics
• Bhasma (sacred ash)
• Muñja grass

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner purification is supported by disciplined tapas and Shaiva vows, symbolized by ash, jaṭā, and ascetic attire.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ascetics’ practice is situated in Prabhāsa Kṣetra, in the Kapāleśvara-associated context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Austerity (tapas) and Shaiva ascetic observances (bhasma-smearing, muñja belt, jaṭā) are described as practiced there.