Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

यास्तु गंधांबुकणिकाः पतंति धरणीतले । ताभिराप्यायनं तेषां ये देवत्वमुपागताः

Transliteration

yāstu gaṃdhāṃbukaṇikāḥ pataṃti dharaṇītale | tābhirāpyāyanaṃ teṣāṃ ye devatvamupāgatāḥ

Translation

Jene winzigen duftenden Wassertropfen, die auf die Erde fallen—durch sie werden die Dahingegangenen, die den Stand der Götter erlangt haben, genährt und erquickt.

Word by Word

• याः: which (those)
• याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचकं सर्वनाम

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• गन्धाम्बुकणिकाः: drops of scented water
• गन्धाम्बुकणिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध-अम्बु-कणिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः (गन्धयुक्तम् अम्बु = गन्धाम्बु; तस्य कणिकाः)

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• धरणीतले: on the surface of the earth
• धरणीतले: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरणी-तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ताभिः: by those (drops)
• ताभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• आप्यायनम्: nourishment/satiation
• आप्यायनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आप्यायन (प्रातिपदिक; √प्या/√प्याय् (धातु) भाव/णिच्-नम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘पोषण’अर्थक

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• देवत्वम्: godhood
• देवत्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवत्व (प्रातिपदिक; -त्व तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• उपागताः: having attained
• उपागताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उपागत (प्रातिपदिक; उप-√गम् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Addressed as 'putra/child' in the surrounding instruction

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Perfumed water droplets fall onto earth at a coastal tīrtha; above, luminous deva-like ancestors receive refreshment, shown as radiant figures with gentle smiles.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even subtle elements of a rite—like fragrant water droplets—carry merit and can bring real satisfaction to elevated ancestors.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra (the Prabhāsa sacred region) within the Skanda Purāṇa’s Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies the efficacy of water-based offerings in Śrāddha (libations/ritual sprinkling), emphasizing their nourishing effect on the departed.