Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ततो विनिर्गतं भस्म तत्क्षणाद्धिमपांडुरम् । अथाब्रवीत्प्रहस्यैनं भगवान्भूतभावनः

Transliteration

tato vinirgataṃ bhasma tatkṣaṇāddhimapāṃḍuram | athābravītprahasyainaṃ bhagavānbhūtabhāvanaḥ

Translation

Da trat die Asche hervor, sogleich weiß wie Reif. Da sprach der Herr, der Nährer aller Wesen, lächelnd zu ihm.

Word by Word

• ततः: then, thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of sequence)

• विनिर्गतम्: gone out, emerged
• विनिर्गतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-निर्-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भस्म-विशेषण

• भस्म: ash
• भस्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्क्षणात्: from that very moment, instantly
• तत्क्षणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत् + क्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् काल-निर्देश (time-from)

• धिमपाण्डुरम्: pale like frost/snow
• धिमपाण्डुरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धिम + पाण्डुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भस्म-विशेषण

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक (then/now)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• प्रहस्य: having laughed
• प्रहस्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-लोपयुक्त ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त (Gerund), अव्यय; ‘हसित्वा’ अर्थे

• एनम्: him
• एनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• भूतभावनः: nourisher/creator of beings
• भूतभावनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + भावन (प्रातिपदिक); भूतानां भावनः
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva), narrative continuation

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārvatī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the thumb, frost-white ash instantly appears; the Lord (Bhūta-bhāvana) smiles as he addresses the sage—miracle and mercy in one frame.

Characters & Entities

• Bhūtabhāvana (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s ash signifies transcendence over worldly sweetness and pride; true greatness is effortless and purifying.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, in whose Māhātmya Śiva’s signs and teachings are narrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription, though bhasma evokes Śaiva practice and the purifying mark of devotion.