Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

विधवा चैव या नारी तस्या यात्राविधिं ब्रुवे । कुंकुमं चन्दनं चैव तांबूलं च स्रजस्तथा

Transliteration

vidhavā caiva yā nārī tasyā yātrāvidhiṃ bruve | kuṃkumaṃ candanaṃ caiva tāṃbūlaṃ ca srajastathā

Translation

Und für die Witwe will ich die rechte Vorschrift der Pilgerfahrt verkünden: Sie soll Kunkuma (Safran), Sandelholzpaste, Betel und ebenso Blumengirlanden meiden.

Word by Word

• विधवा: a widow
• विधवा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• या: who (she)
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• नारी: woman
• नारी: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• यात्राविधिम्: the rule/procedure of pilgrimage
• यात्राविधिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यात्रा + विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यात्रायाः विधिः)

• ब्रुवे: I tell/declare
• ब्रुवे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कुंकुमम्: saffron/vermillion
• कुंकुमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• चन्दनम्: sandalwood (paste)
• चन्दनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: also/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• तांबूलम्: betel (leaf preparation)
• तांबूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• स्रजः: garlands
• स्रजः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘likewise’)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Umā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A widow pilgrim in plain white/earth-toned clothing walks toward the Prabhāsa/Somnath shrine holding a small offering vessel and japa-mālā; beside her are the avoided items—kumkuma box, sandal paste, betel, garland—set aside.

Characters & Entities

• Devī
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage discipline is marked by simplicity and restraint, especially for those undertaking austere dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, within the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A yātrā-niyama for widows: refrain from adornments such as kuṅkuma, sandalpaste, tāmbūla, and garlands.