Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कामं यथेष्टं हृदये कृत्वा समभिमन्त्र्य च । मंत्रेणानेन मतिमानश्नीयाद्दन्तधावनम्

Transliteration

kāmaṃ yatheṣṭaṃ hṛdaye kṛtvā samabhimantrya ca | maṃtreṇānena matimānaśnīyāddantadhāvanam

Translation

Nachdem man im Herzen den gewünschten Wunsch gefasst und das Holz ordnungsgemäß geweiht hat, soll der Verständige den Zahnreiniger gebrauchen, indem er dieses Mantra rezitiert.

Word by Word

• कामम्: as desired, at will
• कामम्: Kriya-visheshana (Modal adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कामम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अनुज्ञा/स्वेच्छा-अर्थे); Particle meaning ‘as you wish/at will’

• यथेष्टम्: as one wishes
• यथेष्टम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + इष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः (यथा इष्टम् = ‘as desired’); अव्ययत्वेन प्रयोगः

• हृदये: in the heart/mind
• हृदये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• कृत्वा: having made (in mind)
• कृत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (अव्ययभावे कृदन्त, Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having done/made’

• समभिमन्त्र्य: having recited/invoked
• समभिमन्त्र्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + मन्त्र् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष (अव्ययभावे कृदन्त, Absolutive); ‘having invoked/recited over’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; Conjunction

• मन्त्रेण: with a mantra
• मन्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• अनेन: with this
• अनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental Singular; ‘with this’

• मतिमान्: the intelligent person
• मतिमान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अश्नीयात्: should eat/use (chew)
• अश्नीयात्: Kriya (Predicate action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; Optative, 2nd person, Singular

• दन्तधावनम्: tooth-cleaning (tooth-stick use)
• दन्तधावनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त + धावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (दन्तानां धावनम् = ‘cleaning of teeth’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from instructional dharma tone within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee holds a fresh twig-tooth-stick, eyes lowered in inward saṅkalpa; subtle mantra recitation is implied as the stick is ritually ‘charged’ before use.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• Mantra
• Dantadhāvana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Saṅkalpa and mantra transform a practical act into a sacred observance aligned with dharma and inner intention.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where even morning disciplines are taught as religious observances.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Make an inner wish (saṅkalpa), consecrate the tooth-stick with the stated mantra, then perform dantadhāvana.