Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 50

Devanagari script

तर्जन्या ताडयामास स्वांगुष्ठं नृपसत्तम । ततोंगुष्ठाद्विनिष्क्रांतं भस्म वै बिसपांडुरम्

Transliteration

tarjanyā tāḍayāmāsa svāṃguṣṭhaṃ nṛpasattama | tatoṃguṣṭhādviniṣkrāṃtaṃ bhasma vai bisapāṃḍuram

Translation

彼は人差し指で自らの親指を打った、王の中の最勝者よ。するとその親指から、蓮の繊維のように白い灰が現れ出た。

Word by Word

• तर्जन्या: with the forefinger
• तर्जन्या: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्जनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• ताडयामास: struck; beat
• ताडयामास: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• स्व: his own
• स्व: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• अङ्गुष्ठम्: thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• नृपसत्तम: O best of kings
• नृपसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नृपाणां सत्तमः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• ततः: then; from there
• ततः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रमवाचक (sequential adverb)

• अङ्गुष्ठात्: from the thumb
• अङ्गुष्ठात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• विनिष्क्रान्तम्: come out; emerged
• विनिष्क्रान्तम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि√क्रम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भस्म-समन्वयात् प्रथमा)

• भस्म: ash
• भस्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• बिसपाण्डुरम्: pale/white like lotus-fibre
• बिसपाण्डुरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिस + पाण्डुर (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (उपमान/निर्देश: बिसवत् पाण्डुरम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (भस्म-विशेषण)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (vibhūti-prādurbhāva spot, contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpasattama (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Maheśvara strikes his thumb with forefinger; from the thumb bursts pale lotus-fiber-like ash, floating in the air like sacred dust; onlookers are stunned as the miracle reframes ‘siddhi’.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)
• Bhasma (sacred ash)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva demonstrates a higher, purifying power—bhasma—signifying transcendence over bodily conditions and the burning away of impurity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda Khaṇḍa narrative sacralizes the Arbuda region by depicting Śiva’s direct manifestation and wondrous signs there.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

While not a direct injunction, the appearance of bhasma evokes Śaiva practice of revering and applying sacred ash as a symbol of purity and renunciation.