Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

आग्नेय्यां कारयेत्कुण्डं हस्तमात्रं सुशोभनम् । मेखलात्रयसंयुक्तं योन्याऽश्वत्थदलाभया

Transliteration

āgneyyāṃ kārayetkuṇḍaṃ hastamātraṃ suśobhanam | mekhalātrayasaṃyuktaṃ yonyā'śvatthadalābhayā

Translation

Au sud-est, on doit aménager un kuṇḍa (foyer sacrificiel) d’une coudée, beau et bien disposé, muni de trois ceintures d’enceinte, avec une base en forme de yoni, et marqué/orné de feuilles d’aśvattha.

Word by Word

• आग्नेय्याम्: in the south-east (direction)
• आग्नेय्याम्: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आग्नेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; दिग्वाचक (in the south-east)

• कारयेत्: should have made
• कारयेत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) (णिच् causative: कारय)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग

• कुण्डम्: a fire-pit
• कुण्डम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• हस्त-मात्रम्: only a hand in measure
• हस्त-मात्रम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; हस्तस्य मात्रम् इति (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सु-शोभनम्: very beautiful
• सु-शोभनम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सु इति उपपदेन विशेषण-समासवत्

• मेखला-त्रय-संयुक्तम्: joined with three girdles/rings
• मेखला-त्रय-संयुक्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेखला (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + संयुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+√युज् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; मेखलानां त्रयेन संयुक्तम् इति (तत्पुरुष; संख्याविशेषण)

• योन्या: with a yoni-shaped base
• योन्या: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• अश्वत्थ-दल-आभया: having the appearance of an aśvattha leaf
• अश्वत्थ-दल-आभया: विशेषण (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अश्वत्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक) + आभा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; अश्वत्थस्य दलस्य आभा इव/युक्ता इति (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsakṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A southeast-placed, cubit-sized, beautifully finished homa-kuṇḍa with three encircling bands; yoni-shaped base; aśvattha leaves arranged as auspicious markers; priests preparing the rite within a sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Agni (direction)
• Kuṇḍa
• Aśvattha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual precision—direction, measure, and form—expresses reverence toward Agni and safeguards the rite’s sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is embedded in Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, tying the homa to Prabhāsa’s sacred setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Create an Agni-kuṇḍa in the southeast, cubit-sized, with three mekhalās, yoni-shape, and aśvattha-leaf adornment.