Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

रक्तचंदनगंधैस्तु शुचिःस्नातो महीतले । कृत्वा मंडलकं वृत्तमेकचित्तो व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

raktacaṃdanagaṃdhaistu śuciḥsnāto mahītale | kṛtvā maṃḍalakaṃ vṛttamekacitto vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

Rein und gebadet, mit dem Duft roten Sandelholzes gesalbt, soll man auf dem Boden ein rundes Maṇḍala zeichnen und dort standhaft verweilen, den Geist auf einen Punkt gesammelt.

Word by Word

• rakta-candana-gandhaiḥ: with fragrances of red sandalwood
• rakta-candana-gandhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + candana (प्रातिपदिक) + gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; (रक्तचन्दनस्य गन्धाः) इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; करण

• tu: indeed
• tu: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed)

• śuciḥ: pure/clean
• śuciḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• snātaḥ: bathed
• snātaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √snā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → snāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; विशेषण

• mahītale: on the ground/on the earth’s surface
• mahītale: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahītala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; (मही + तल) कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘भूमितल’ = earth-surface; अधिकरण

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having made)

• maṇḍalakam: a small circle/mandala
• maṇḍalakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍalaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• vṛttam: round/circular
• vṛttam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (maṇḍalakam)

• eka-cittaḥ: single-minded
• eka-cittaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (एकं चित्तं यस्य); विशेषण

• vyavasthitaḥ: standing/steadily positioned
• vyavasthitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + ava + √sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → vyavasthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्थित/स्थितवान् (standing/positioned)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya; speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (ritual ground within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified (continuation to ‘priye’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A freshly bathed devotee, skin tinted with red sandal paste, draws a neat circular maṇḍala on the earth; posture is steady, gaze lowered, the ritual space clearly demarcated.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship combines outer purity with inner steadiness—fragrant offerings and a focused mind together sanctify the rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where such carefully prepared worship-space is recommended as part of the sacred observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing, applying raktacandana fragrance, drawing a circular maṇḍala, and maintaining one-pointed attention.