Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 11

Devanagari script

विष्णोर्देहसमुद्भूताः कुशाः कृष्णास्तिलास्तथा । श्राद्धस्य रक्षणार्थाय एतत्प्राहुर्दिवौकसः

Transliteration

viṣṇordehasamudbhūtāḥ kuśāḥ kṛṣṇāstilāstathā | śrāddhasya rakṣaṇārthāya etatprāhurdivaukasaḥ

Translation

Kuśa grass and black sesame are said to have arisen from Viṣṇu’s own body. The gods declare them to be for the protection of śrāddha.

Word by Word

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• देहसमुद्भूताः: arisen from (his) body
• देहसमुद्भूताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of kuśāḥ/tilāḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देह + समुद्भूत (भू-धातोः क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (arisen from the body)

• कुशाः: kuśa grasses
• कुशाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• कृष्णाः: black
• कृष्णाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (qualifying tilāḥ/kuśāḥ per context)

• तिलाः: sesame seeds
• तिलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक-अव्ययम् (also/likewise)

• श्राद्धस्य: of the śrāddha rite
• श्राद्धस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्राद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• रक्षणार्थाय: for protection
• रक्षणार्थाय: Prayojana (Purpose/Dative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षण + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थीविभक्तिः (Dative/4th), एकवचनम्; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the purpose of protection)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्म (this [fact])

• प्राहुः: they declare
• प्राहुः: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect; used as present ‘they declare’), प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• दिवौकसः: the gods (heaven-dwellers)
• दिवौकसः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; ‘दिवि ओकः यस्य’/‘दिवि वसन्ति’ (the gods)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (śrāddha-pradhāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic vision: from Viṣṇu’s form arise kuśa blades and black sesame, which then encircle a śrāddha altar as a protective aura; devas affirm their use.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Kuśa
• Kṛṣṇa-tilāḥ
• Divaukasaḥ
• Śrāddha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual implements are not arbitrary; kuśa and black sesame are sacralized as Viṣṇu-derived protectors of śrāddha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, where śrāddha practice is supported with theological justification for its materials.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Employ kuśa grass and black sesame in śrāddha as protective, divinely endorsed elements.