Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

विरूढैः सप्तधान्यैश्च वंशपात्रप्रकल्पितैः । रंजयेत्पट्टसूत्रैश्च शुभैः कुंकुमकेसरैः

Transliteration

virūḍhaiḥ saptadhānyaiśca vaṃśapātraprakalpitaiḥ | raṃjayetpaṭṭasūtraiśca śubhaiḥ kuṃkumakesaraiḥ

Translation

Und mit den sieben Arten gekeimter Körner, in aus Bambus gefertigten Gefäßen geordnet, soll man den Altar mit glückverheißenden Seidenfäden, mit Safran (kuṅkuma) und duftendem kesara schmücken.

Word by Word

• विरूढैः: with sprouted/grown (items)
• विरूढैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-रुह् (धातु) → विरूढ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• सप्त-धान्यैः: with the seven grains
• सप्त-धान्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सप्तानां धान्यानाम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• वंश-पात्र-प्रकल्पितैः: with those prepared in bamboo vessels
• वंश-पात्र-प्रकल्पितैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + प्र-कल्प् (धातु) → प्रकल्पित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वंशपात्रेण प्रकल्पिताः/वंशपात्र-निर्मिताः)

• रञ्जयेत्: should dye/color
• रञ्जयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रञ्ज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• पट्ट-सूत्रैः: with silk threads
• पट्ट-सूत्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + सूत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पट्टस्य सूत्राणि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• शुभैः: with auspicious (materials)
• शुभैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (पदार्थानाम्)

• कुङ्कुम-केसरैः: with saffron and pollen/filaments
• कुङ्कुम-केसरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक) + केसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः (कुङ्कुमं च केसरं च)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Bamboo vessels holding sprouted grains arranged in rows; bright silk threads draped across the altar; vivid red kuṅkuma and golden saffron/kesara used to tint and perfume the ritual space.

Characters & Entities

• Sāvitrī
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspiciousness (maṅgala) is cultivated through purity, order, and symbolic fullness—sprouted grains signify fertility and dharmic prosperity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where such maṅgala-vidhi is taught as especially meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Using sprouted seven grains in bamboo vessels and adorning with silk threads, saffron, and kesara.