Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 106

Devanagari script

धमनीसंतताः शुष्काः श्मश्रुलाश्चर्मवाससः । उलूखलैराभरणैः शूर्पच्छत्रासनांबराः

Transliteration

dhamanīsaṃtatāḥ śuṣkāḥ śmaśrulāścarmavāsasaḥ | ulūkhalairābharaṇaiḥ śūrpacchatrāsanāṃbarāḥ

Translation

Leurs veines saillaient; ils étaient desséchés, barbus et vêtus de peaux. Ils portaient des mortiers en guise d’ornements, et pour équipement des vans, des ombrelles, des sièges et des couvertures—

Word by Word

• धमनीसंतताः: covered with veins/sinews
• धमनीसंतताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धमनी + संतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (धमनीभिः संतताः = veins-sinews spread/covered)

• शुष्काः: dry
• शुष्काः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• श्मश्रुलाः: bearded
• श्मश्रुलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्मश्रु + ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; श्मश्रु-युक्ताः (bearded), विशेषण

• चर्मवाससः: wearing skins as garments
• चर्मवाससः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चर्म + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; चर्म-वस्त्र-धारिणः, विशेषण

• उलूखलैः: with mortars
• उलूखलैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उलूखल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• आभरणैः: as ornaments / with ornaments
• आभरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आभरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शूर्पच्छत्रासनांबराः: having winnowing-fans, umbrellas, seats, and garments (as their gear)
• शूर्पच्छत्रासनांबराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शूर्प + छत्र + आसन + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; शूर्प-छत्र-आसन-अम्बराणि (समाहार-द्वन्द्व) यस्य/येषां ते, विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) speaking to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (Bhūtamātṛ-kathā)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Piśācas with protruding dry veins, beards, skin garments; bizarre ‘ornaments’ like mortars, and gear made from winnowing baskets, umbrellas, seats, and coverings—an unsettling parade of improvised objects.

Characters & Entities

• Piśācas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narrative uses vivid imagery to mark the boundary between auspicious worship and chaotic forces, underscoring the need for dhārmic regulation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, the setting for this māhātmya narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct instruction; it continues the descriptive account of the spirit-host associated with Bhūtamātṛ.