Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

दह्यमानं नरं सर्वे तुलसीकाष्ठवह्निना । विमानस्थाः सुरगणाः क्षिपंति कुसुमांजलीन्

Transliteration

dahyamānaṃ naraṃ sarve tulasīkāṣṭhavahninā | vimānasthāḥ suragaṇāḥ kṣipaṃti kusumāṃjalīn

Translation

Lorsqu’un homme est consumé dans le feu du bois de tulasī, les dieux, assis dans leurs vimānas célestes, lui lancent promptement des poignées de fleurs.

Word by Word

• दह्यमानम्: being burnt
• दह्यमानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दह् (धातु) → दह्यमान (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः (present passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• नरम्: man, person
• नरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सुरगणाः इत्यस्य)

• तुलसीकाष्ठवह्निना: by the fire of tulasī-wood
• तुलसीकाष्ठवह्निना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी + काष्ठ + वह्नि (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; तुलसीकाष्ठस्य वह्निः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणम्

• विमानस्थाः: standing in aerial cars
• विमानस्थाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमान + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; विमाने स्थाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सुरगणाः)

• सुरगणाः: groups of gods
• सुरगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; सुराणां गणाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• क्षिपन्ति: they throw, cast
• क्षिपन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• कुसुमाञ्जलीन्: handfuls of flowers
• कुसुमाञ्जलीन्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुसुम + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुषः; कुसुमानाम् अञ्जलयः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), बहुवचन

Speaker

Prahlāda (within the Dvārakā Māhātmya narration; Sūta resumes at 43.22)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā-kṣetra (context)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sky filled with devas in vimānas above a tulasī-fed pyre; they cast flower handfuls downward; the scene blends solemn rite with festival-like celestial shower.

Characters & Entities

• Tulasī
• Sura-gaṇa (gods)
• Vimāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A death sanctified by devotion is portrayed as honored by the cosmos itself, indicating divine recognition of dharmic, bhakti-filled rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā’s sacred tradition is the backdrop, within the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa’s Dvārakā Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of Tulasī-wood in the cremation fire, leading to auspicious, deva-honored departure.