Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

श्वेतवस्त्रपरीधाने सर्वाभरणभूषिते । आदौ पात्रे तु संन्यस्य आधारसहितं शिवम्

Transliteration

śvetavastraparīdhāne sarvābharaṇabhūṣite | ādau pātre tu saṃnyasya ādhārasahitaṃ śivam

Translation

In weißen Gewändern und mit allem Schmuck geschmückt, setze man zuerst Śiva zusammen mit seiner ādhāra (Stütze/Grundlage) in das rituelle Gefäß ein.

Word by Word

• śveta-vastra-parīdhāne: in (the state of) wearing white garments
• śveta-vastra-parīdhāne: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śveta (प्रातिपदिक) + vastra (प्रातिपदिक) + parīdhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (श्वेतं वस्त्रं यस्य/श्वेतवस्त्रस्य परिधानम्)

• sarva-ābharaṇa-bhūṣite: adorned with all ornaments
• sarva-ābharaṇa-bhūṣite: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣita (कृदन्त; √bhūṣ (धातु))
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; भूतकृदन्त-प्रत्ययः (क्त) ‘भूषित’

• ādau: at first; in the beginning
• ādau: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; काल/क्रमवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम्

• pātre: in a vessel
• pātre: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण), एकवचनम्

• tu: indeed; but
• tu: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (emphasis/contrast)

• saṃnyasya: having placed
• saṃnyasya: Kriyā (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √as (धातु) with prefix sam-ni; gerund ‘saṃnyasya’ (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः; क्त्वान्त (gerund/absolutive) — ‘having placed/laid down’

• ādhāra-sahitam: together with the support/base
• ādhāra-sahitam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक) + sahita (कृदन्त; √sah (धातु))
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्; ‘सहित’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (कर्म), एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somnātha (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee in white garments, ornamented, reverently places a Śiva emblem (liṅga or icon) with its base into a ritual vessel, beginning the formal presence of the deity for worship.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• pātra (ritual vessel)
• Somnātha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Approach Śiva’s worship with purity, auspicious attire, and correct installation (sthāpana) in the rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Somnātha at Prabhāsa-kṣetra, within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Don white clothing, be properly adorned, and perform the initial placement/installation of Śiva in the ritual vessel with the required ādhāra.