Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

रक्षोघ्नं च यशस्यं च काश्मीर्यं पात्रमुच्यते । सौभाग्यमुत्तमं लोके मधूके समुदाहृतम्

Transliteration

rakṣoghnaṃ ca yaśasyaṃ ca kāśmīryaṃ pātramucyate | saubhāgyamuttamaṃ loke madhūke samudāhṛtam

Translation

On dit qu’un vase fait de bois kāśmīrya détruit les forces malignes et procure une renommée glorieuse. Et avec un vase de madhūka, la fortune suprême dans le monde est proclamée.

Word by Word

• रक्षोघ्नम्: destroyer of demons
• रक्षोघ्नम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्षस्+घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘रक्षसां घ्नः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• यशस्यम्: fame-giving, glorious
• यशस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• काश्मीर्यम्: Kāśmīrya (Kashmir product, esp. saffron)
• काश्मीर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काश्मीर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्रव्य/गुणवाचक (Kashmiri saffron/thing from Kashmir)

• पात्रम्: vessel, bowl
• पात्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उच्यते: is said/called
• उच्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सौभाग्यम्: good fortune
• सौभाग्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौभाग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र द्वितीया (कर्म)

• उत्तमम्: excellent, best
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘सौभाग्यम्’ इति विशेषण

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• मधूके: in/at the madhūka (tree)
• मधूके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधूक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• समुदाहृतम्: is declared/mentioned
• समुदाहृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+उद्+आहृ (धातु) → समुदाहृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘सौभाग्यम्’ इति कर्मसमानाधिकरण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Two ritual vessels are displayed on a clean altar: one carved from kāśmīrya wood with protective motifs; another from madhūka wood with auspicious floral designs. A priest blesses them; shadowy ‘rakṣas’ motifs dissolve near the kāśmīrya vessel, while prosperity symbols gather around the madhūka vessel.

Characters & Entities

• Kāśmīrya (wood)
• Madhūka (tree/wood)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the materials used in dharmic rites are sacralized; choosing them with faith and rule is said to shape the rite’s protective and auspicious effects.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where such material prescriptions are taught as part of its śrāddha-māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use of kāśmīrya-wood vessels is praised for protection and fame; madhūka-wood vessels are praised for exceptional good fortune.