Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

पूर्वं संस्नाप्य विधिना पंचामृतरसोदकैः । गोमूत्रं गोमयं क्षीरं दधि सर्पिः कुशोदकम्

Transliteration

pūrvaṃ saṃsnāpya vidhinā paṃcāmṛtarasodakaiḥ | gomūtraṃ gomayaṃ kṣīraṃ dadhi sarpiḥ kuśodakam

Translation

Zuerst soll man nach rechter Vorschrift (die Gottheit) mit den Flüssigkeiten des Pañcāmṛta baden: Kuhurin, Kuhdung, Milch, Dickmilch, Ghee sowie mit Kuśa-Gras geheiligtes Wasser.

Word by Word

• पूर्वम्: first, beforehand
• पूर्वम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण) = adverb; अर्थे ‘पूर्वकाले’

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed/washed (ritually)
• संस्नाप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Converb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् + स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययभाव) = gerund/absolutive; ‘सम्यक् स्नापयित्वा’

• विधिना: by the prescribed method
• विधिना: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; instrumental

• पञ्चामृत-रस-उदकैः: with waters consisting of the essence of the five nectars
• पञ्चामृत-रस-उदकैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + अमृत + रस + उदक (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) = ‘पञ्चामृतस्य रसः’ + ‘तस्य उदकानि/उदकैः’

• गोमूत्रम्: cow urine
• गोमूत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + मूत्र (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘गोः मूत्रम्’

• गोमयम्: cow dung
• गोमयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + मय (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘गोः मयम्’

• क्षीरम्: milk
• क्षीरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• दधि: curd, yogurt
• दधि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (प्रथमा/द्वितीया समानरूप)

• सर्पिः: ghee
• सर्पिः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्पिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन (प्रथमा/द्वितीया समानरूप)

• कुशोदकम्: water with kuśa grass
• कुशोदकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश + उदक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘कुशैः युक्तम् उदकम्’ (कुशोदक)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Brahmā-arcana context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Priests pour successive streams of pañcāmṛta over a small Brahmā icon, with vessels arranged: gomūtra, gomaya mixture, milk, curd, ghee, and kuśa-sprinkled water; kuśa grass visible in a sanctifying bundle.

Characters & Entities

• Pañcāmṛta
• Pañcagavya
• Kuśa
• Abhiṣeka
• Brahmā (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pūjā is enacted through orderly sanctification—abhiṣeka with purifying substances symbolizes cleansing of sin and refinement of devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite is taught within Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya, tying the worship to the sanctity of that pilgrimage region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform abhiṣeka first, following vidhि, using the pañcāmṛta/pañcagavya substances and kuśa-water.