Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 98

Devanagari script

विशिष्टख्यातलिंगेषु वृषदानं विधीयते । स्नानं विलेपनं पूजां देवतानां समाचरेत्

Transliteration

viśiṣṭakhyātaliṃgeṣu vṛṣadānaṃ vidhīyate | snānaṃ vilepanaṃ pūjāṃ devatānāṃ samācaret

Translation

Dans les sanctuaires de liṅga renommés et tout particulièrement célébrés, il est enjoint d’accomplir le vṛṣa-dāna, le don d’un taureau. Qu’on pratique aussi le bain rituel, l’onction d’onguents et le culte des divinités.

Word by Word

• विशिष्ट-ख्यात-लिङ्गेषु: among the renowned special liṅgas
• विशिष्ट-ख्यात-लिङ्गेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशिष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + ख्यात (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from ख्या) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; अधिकरण; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (विशिष्टानि ख्यातानि लिङ्गानि)

• वृषदानम्: gift of a bull
• वृषदानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृषस्य दानम्)

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु; वि+धा)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive: is enjoined)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक from स्ना)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• विलेपनम्: anointing, smearing (with unguents)
• विलेपनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विलेपन (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक from वि+लिप्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• पूजाम्: worship
• पूजाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• देवतानाम्: of the deities
• देवतानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध

• समाचरेत्: should perform/practise
• समाचरेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु; सम्+आ+चर्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Purāṇic māhātmya narration style in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Khyāta-liṅga-sthānas of Prabhāsa (including Somnātha as chief)

Type: temple

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celebrated liṅga shrine in Prabhāsa: priests pour water and milk in abhiṣeka, devotees apply sandal paste, garland the liṅga, while a decorated bull is ceremonially gifted with saṅkalpa near the temple entrance.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Devatā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion at a celebrated sacred site becomes complete when worship is joined with selfless giving (dāna) and purity rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, especially its famed liṅga-shrines described in the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vṛṣa-dāna (donating a bull) along with snāna (bathing), vilepana (anointing), and pūjā (worship).