Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

मार्कण्डप्रमुखान्कृत्वा ऋत्विजो ब्राह्मणोत्तमान् । वेदोक्तैः कारयामासुरभिषेकं वृषान्ददुः

Transliteration

mārkaṇḍapramukhānkṛtvā ṛtvijo brāhmaṇottamān | vedoktaiḥ kārayāmāsurabhiṣekaṃ vṛṣāndaduḥ

Translation

Appointing as officiating priests the finest brāhmaṇas, headed by Mārkaṇḍa, they had the consecratory ablution performed according to Vedic injunctions, and they gifted bulls in charity.

Word by Word

• मार्कण्डप्रमुखान्: (priests) headed by Mārkaṇḍa
• मार्कण्डप्रमुखान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मार्कण्ड-प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: मार्कण्डः प्रमुखः येषां ते (बहुव्रीहिः) इति सम्भवः, परन्तु अत्र 'मार्कण्डप्रमुखान् (ऋत्विजः)' = 'मार्कण्डः प्रमुखः' इति कर्मधारय-तत्पुरुषवत् प्रयोगः

• कृत्वा: having made/appointing
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); 'having made/appointing'

• ऋत्विजः: the officiating priests
• ऋत्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत्विज् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ब्राह्मणोत्तमान्: excellent brāhmaṇas
• ब्राह्मणोत्तमान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण-उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः: उत्तमाः ब्राह्मणाः

• वेदोक्तैः: with Veda-prescribed (rites/mantras)
• वेदोक्तैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद-उक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः: वेदेन उक्त (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष)

• कारयामासुः: they caused (it) to be performed
• कारयामासुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative) 'caused to be done'

• अभिषेकम्: an anointing/ritual bathing
• अभिषेकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वृषान्: bulls
• वृषान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ददुः: they gave
• ददुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śiva (Īśvara)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual setting)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A beloved lady addressed as 'priye' / 'varavarṇinī' in the surrounding narration (likely Pārvatī in Purāṇic dialogue style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solemn Vedic consecration: Mārkaṇḍeya and other sages as ṛtviks chant mantras while abhiṣeka streams over a newly installed Śiva-liṅga; donors present bulls as vr̥ṣa-dāna; Prabhāsa’s coastal sacred ambience in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Brāhmaṇa Ṛtviks
• Abhiṣeka
• Vedic rites
• Vṛṣa-dāna (bull donation)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Properly guided ritual (by qualified ṛtviks) joined with charity completes sacred acts and stabilizes their dhārmic merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Pāṇḍaveśvara/ Saṃnihityā vicinity within Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the liṅga’s abhiṣeka is performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Veda-prescribed abhiṣeka (consecration) and vṛṣa-dāna (donation of bulls), conducted by brāhmaṇa ṛtviks led by Mārkaṇḍa.