Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

कपिलापंचगव्येन कुशवारियुतेन च । स्नापयेन्मंत्रपूतेन ब्रह्मस्नानं हि तत्स्मृतम्

Transliteration

kapilāpaṃcagavyena kuśavāriyutena ca | snāpayenmaṃtrapūtena brahmasnānaṃ hi tatsmṛtam

Translation

On doit baigner (la divinité) avec le pañcagavya d’une vache kapilā (fauve), mêlé d’eau de kuśa, sanctifiée par le mantra; cela est, en vérité, tenu pour le «Brahmā-snāna».

Word by Word

• कपिला-पञ्चगव्येन: with pañcagavya from a tawny cow
• कपिला-पञ्चगव्येन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिला + पञ्चगव्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः = ‘कपिलायाः (गव्या) पञ्चगव्यम्’ (कपिलागो-सम्बद्ध)

• कुश-वारि-युतेन: together with kuśa-water
• कुश-वारि-युतेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुश + वारि + युत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘कुशवारिणा युतम्’ = endowed with kuśa-water

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• स्नापयेत्: one should bathe (him)
• स्नापयेत्: Vidhāna-kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense

• मन्त्रपूतेन: purified by mantra
• मन्त्रपूतेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्त्र + पूत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘मन्त्रेण पूतम्’ = purified by mantra

• ब्रह्मस्नानम्: the ‘brahma-bath’ (highest purification bath)
• ब्रह्मस्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + स्नान (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मणः स्नानम्’

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (Emphasis/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतौ/निश्चये) = particle ‘indeed/for’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is regarded (as)
• स्मृतम्: Vākya-kriyā (Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; passive participle = ‘is considered/remembered’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kapilā cow is respectfully shown nearby as the source of pañcagavya; the priest sanctifies the mixture with mantra, then pours it with kuśa-water over the deity, labeling the rite 'Brahmā-snāna'.

Characters & Entities

• Kapilā (cow)
• Pañcagavya
• Kuśa
• Brahmasnāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Traditional dharma defines specific sacral acts—when performed with mantra and purity, they become recognized pathways of sanctification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The rite is part of the Prabhāsa-kṣetra māhātmya, linking Brahmasnāna to Prabhāsa’s sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform Brahmasnāna: abhiṣeka with kapilā pañcagavya plus kuśa-water, all mantra-purified.