Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

Devanagari script

त्रीन्वारान्परिजप्यैवं भक्षयेद्दंतधावनम् । पश्चात्प्रक्षाल्य तत्काष्ठं शुचौ देशे विनिक्षिपेत्

Transliteration

trīnvārānparijapyaivaṃ bhakṣayeddaṃtadhāvanam | paścātprakṣālya tatkāṣṭhaṃ śucau deśe vinikṣipet

Translation

Nachdem man das Mantra so dreimal gesprochen hat, soll man den Zahnreiniger benutzen. Danach spüle man das Holz ab und lege es an einen reinen Ort.

Word by Word

• त्रीन्: three
• त्रीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (masculine, accusative plural)

• वारान्: times (repetitions)
• वारान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masculine, accusative plural)

• परिजप्य: having recited (muttered)
• परिजप्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + जप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त), ‘having muttered/recited’; पूर्वक्रिया (gerund/absolutive)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: thus)

• भक्षयेत्: should eat/chew
• भक्षयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (may/should eat)

• दन्तधावनम्: tooth-cleaning twig/cleanser
• दन्तधावनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दन्त + धावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘दन्तानां धावनम्’ (neuter, accusative singular)

• पश्चात्: afterwards
• पश्चात्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (indeclinable adverb: afterwards)

• प्रक्षाल्य: having washed
• प्रक्षाल्य: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + क्षल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (अव्ययकृदन्त); ‘having washed/rinsed’ (gerund)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देश्य-विशेषण (neuter, accusative singular: that)

• काष्ठम्: stick/wood (twig)
• काष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter, accusative singular)

• शुचौ: in a clean (place)
• शुचौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थानविशेषण (locative singular: in a clean [place])

• देशे: in a place
• देशे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (masculine, locative singular)

• विनिक्षिपेत्: should place (down)
• विनिक्षिपेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नि + क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (should place/lay down)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from procedural instruction in Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A threefold mantra recitation is shown through three faint script-ribbons; after brushing, the devotee rinses the twig in water and sets it carefully on a clean stone/leaf platform.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsakṣetra
• Dantadhāvana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Discipline includes both mantra and mindful handling of ritual implements—purity is maintained before, during, and after the act.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where correct procedure for daily rites is taught as part of its dharma-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recite the mantra three times, perform dantadhāvana, rinse the stick, and place it in a clean location.