Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

विस्फोटानां प्रशांत्यर्थं बालानां चैव कारणात् । मानेन मापितान्कृत्वा मसूरांस्तत्र कुट्टयेत्

Transliteration

visphoṭānāṃ praśāṃtyarthaṃ bālānāṃ caiva kāraṇāt | mānena māpitānkṛtvā masūrāṃstatra kuṭṭayet

Translation

Zur Besänftigung von ausschlagartigen, eruptiven Leiden und um der Kinder willen soll man Linsen (masūrā) mit einem festgesetzten Maß abmessen und sie dann dort zerstampfen, zur Vorbereitung der Opfergabe.

Word by Word

• विस्फोटानाम्: of eruptions (pustules)
• विस्फोटानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्फोट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of eruptions/blisters)

• प्रशान्ति-अर्थम्: for pacification
• प्रशान्ति-अर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रशान्ति + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular used as purpose (for pacification)

• बालानाम्: of children
• बालानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural (of children)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण (emphasis)

• कारणात्: because of (the reason)
• कारणात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; Ablative singular (because of/from the reason)

• मानेन: by a measure/measurement
• मानेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (by measure)

• मापितान्: measured out
• मापितान्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मा (धातु) → मापित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; णिच् causative)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Accusative plural qualifying मसूरान् (measured out)

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); 'having done/made'

• मसूरान्: lentils
• मसूरान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मसूर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural (lentils)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• कुट्टयेत्: should pound
• कुट्टयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कुट्ट् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'should pound/grind'

Speaker

Not explicit in verse (context: Māhātmya narration within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śītalā-sthāna at Prabhāsa (visphoṭa-śānti upacāra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee measures lentils with a standard measure, then pounds them on a stone mortar near the shrine, as part of a healing vow for children; the scene emphasizes humble domestic ritual brought into sacred space.

Characters & Entities

• Śītalā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Puranic dharma integrates compassion for children with disciplined, measured offerings performed in faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where such devotional preparations are described as effective and meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Measuring lentils (masūra) and pounding them as part of a Śītalā-centered pacificatory observance.