Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

कुंकुमागुरुलिप्तांगाः सुवेषाः साधुमंडिताः । दारिद्र्यदुःखमरणैर्विमुक्ताश्चिरजीविनः

Transliteration

kuṃkumāguruliptāṃgāḥ suveṣāḥ sādhumaṃḍitāḥ | dāridryaduḥkhamaraṇairvimuktāścirajīvinaḥ

Translation

Leurs membres étaient oints de safran et de bois d’aloès ; ils étaient bien vêtus et parés de vertus. Affranchis de la pauvreté, du chagrin et de la mort prématurée, ils vivaient longtemps.

Word by Word

• कुङ्कुम: saffron
• कुङ्कुम: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• अगुरु: aloeswood perfume
• अगुरु: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• लिप्ताङ्गाः: with limbs anointed
• लिप्ताङ्गाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लिप् (धातु) → लिप्त (कृदन्त) + अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘लिप्तानि अङ्गानि येषाम्’

• सुवेषाः: well-dressed
• सुवेषाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘सु-वेष’ = well-dressed

• साधुमण्डिताः: adorned by the good
• साधुमण्डिताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साधु + मण्डित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘साधुभिः मण्डिताः’ = adorned with/by the virtuous

• दारिद्र्य: poverty
• दारिद्र्य: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दारिद्र्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• दुःख: sorrow
• दुःख: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• मरणैः: by death(s)
• मरणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• विमुक्ताः: freed from
• विमुक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु) → विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘विमुक्ताः’ = freed

• चिरजीविनः: long-lived
• चिरजीविनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर + जीविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘चिरं जीविनः’ = long-lived

Speaker

Sārasvata (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Elegant citizens with saffron-tinted foreheads and fragrant bodies, wearing fine garments; saints and householders together, the ‘adornment’ of virtue shown through gestures of charity and respectful greeting; an atmosphere of abundance and long life.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse celebrates the auspicious fruits of dharma—well-being, dignity, and protection from debilitating misfortunes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya (Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa), such descriptions heighten the sanctity and blessedness associated with the kṣetra’s narrative world.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it is a portrayal of blessed conditions rather than a ritual instruction.