Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

रक्तचंदन धूपेन युक्तमर्घ्योपसाधितम् । कृत्वा शिरसि तत्पात्रं जानुभ्यामवनिं गतः

Transliteration

raktacaṃdana dhūpena yuktamarghyopasādhitam | kṛtvā śirasi tatpātraṃ jānubhyāmavaniṃ gataḥ

Translation

Having duly prepared the arghya, endowed with red sandalwood and incense, one should place that vessel upon the head and, on both knees, come down to the earth in reverence.

Word by Word

• रक्तचन्दनधूपेन: with incense of red sandalwood
• रक्तचन्दनधूपेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + धूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: रक्तं चन्दनं (कर्मधारय) + धूपः (तत्पुरुष: रक्तचन्दनस्य धूपः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युक्तम्: joined/combined
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अर्घ्योपसाधितम्: prepared as an arghya-offering
• अर्घ्योपसाधितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उपसाधित (कृदन्त, √साध् + उप)
• Form: समासः: अर्घ्येण उपसाधितम् (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• कृत्वा: Kriya (पूर्वक्रिया/अनुक्रम)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• शिरसि: on the head
• शिरसि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्पात्रम्: that vessel
• तत्पात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः: तत् पात्रम् (षष्ठी/संबन्ध-तत्पुरुष: ‘that vessel’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जानुभ्याम्: with (his) two knees
• जानुभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• अवनिम्: the ground
• अवनिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गतः: went/reached (i.e., bowed down)
• गतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya; speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (arghya at the shrine/ritual spot)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee holds a copper arghya vessel, fragrant with red sandal and incense, balanced upon the head; then the devotee lowers onto both knees, forehead nearing the earth, in a solemn act of surrender before the shrine.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The offering becomes sacred not only by substances, but by humility—reverent posture and honoring the offering as divine service.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, whose māhātmya details refined modes of worship for heightened merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparing arghya with red sandalwood and incense, placing the vessel on the head, and kneeling to the ground in reverence.