Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

मंडलं मंडपं कुण्डं पताकाध्वजशोभितम् । तोरणानि च चत्वारि कुण्डं कृत्वा विधानतः

Transliteration

maṃḍalaṃ maṃḍapaṃ kuṇḍaṃ patākādhvajaśobhitam | toraṇāni ca catvāri kuṇḍaṃ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ

Translation

Man soll ein Maṇḍala, einen Maṇḍapa und eine Kuṇḍa (Feuergrube) bereiten, geschmückt mit Bannern und Fahnen; und nach Vorschrift, nachdem die Kuṇḍa errichtet ist, vier Toraṇas, rituelle Torbögen, aufstellen.

Word by Word

• मण्डलम्: a circle/diagram (mandala)
• मण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• मण्डपम्: a pavilion
• मण्डपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• कुण्डम्: a ritual pit/tank (kunda)
• कुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• पताका-ध्वज-शोभितम्: adorned with flags and banners
• पताका-ध्वज-शोभितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पताका (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक) + शोभित (कृदन्त; √शुभ्/शोभ् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—पताकाध्वजाभ्यां शोभितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• तोरणानि: arches/gateways
• तोरणानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक; संख्याशब्द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• कुण्डम्: the kunda
• कुण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• कृत्वा: having made/constructed
• कृत्वा: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; √कृ

• विधानतः: according to the prescribed procedure
• विधानतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधान (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), प्रकार/विधिबोधक (according to rule)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Not specified

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A festive ritual enclosure is built: a maṇḍala on the ground, a decorated pavilion, a properly shaped fire-pit, and four toraṇas, all adorned with flags and banners for the udyāpana ceremony.

Characters & Entities

• Maṇḍala
• Maṇḍapa
• Kuṇḍa
• Patākā
• Dhvaja
• Toraṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred action is supported by sacred order—creating a consecrated space trains the mind toward reverence and precision in worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ritual directions are given within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya as part of the vow’s concluding ceremony.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Construct a maṇḍala, maṇḍapa, and kuṇḍa; decorate with flags and banners; erect four toraṇas as per ritual injunction.