Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

बिल्वप्रमाणपिंडेषु दीपोद्द्योतितभूमिषु । तांबूल फलनैवेद्यं तिलदर्भोदकेन च

Transliteration

bilvapramāṇapiṃḍeṣu dīpoddyotitabhūmiṣu | tāṃbūla phalanaivedyaṃ tiladarbhodakena ca

Translation

Mit Opfergaben, zu Kugeln von der Größe einer Bilva-Frucht geformt, auf vom Lampenlicht erhelltem Boden, soll man Betel, Früchte und Naivedya (geweihte Speise) darbringen, zusammen mit Wasser, das durch Sesam und Darbha-Gras geheiligt ist.

Word by Word

• बिल्वप्रमाणपिण्डेषु: in lumps of bilva-size/measure
• बिल्वप्रमाणपिण्डेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिल्व + प्रमाण + पिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; Masculine, Locative (7th), Plural; समासः—तत्पुरुष (बिल्व-प्रमाणः पिण्डः)

• दीपोद्योतितभूमिषु: on grounds illuminated by lamps
• दीपोद्योतितभूमिषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप + उद्योतित (कृदन्त) + भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Feminine, Locative (7th), Plural; समासः—तत्पुरुष (दीपेन उद्योतिताः भूमयः)

• ताम्बूलम्: betel (offering)
• ताम्बूलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ताम्बूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• फलनैवेद्यम्: fruit and food-offering (naivedya)
• फलनैवेद्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल + नैवेद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; समासः—इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (फलम् च नैवेद्यम् च)

• तिलदर्भोदकेन: with water containing sesame and darbha grass
• तिलदर्भोदकेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल + दर्भ + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तिल-दर्भ-युक्तम् उदकम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night or twilight at a tīrtha courtyard: rows of oil lamps illuminate the ground; a devotee arranges bilva-sized piṇḍas on a leaf/plate, offers betel, fruits, and naivedya; a vessel of water with floating sesame and darbha is held for sprinkling.

Characters & Entities

• Bilva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Careful, traditional preparation of offerings and a purified worship setting are integral to tīrtha-based devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha-kṣetra in the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa narrative; the verse gives practical pūjā details for worship there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare piṇḍa-like offerings of bilva-size; worship in lamp-lit space; offer tāmbūla, fruits, naivedya; use tila-darbha sanctified water.