Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

भस्मप्रभावात्संप्राप्य बलैश्वर्यधृतिस्मृतीः । स राजपुत्रः शुशुभे शरदर्क इव श्रिया

Transliteration

bhasmaprabhāvātsaṃprāpya balaiśvaryadhṛtismṛtīḥ | sa rājaputraḥ śuśubhe śaradarka iva śriyā

Translation

ആ ഭസ്മത്തിന്റെ പ്രഭാവത്താൽ ബലം, ഐശ്വര്യം, ധൃതി, സ്മൃതി എന്നിവ നേടി ആ രാജപുത്രൻ ശരദ്കാല സൂര്യനെപ്പോലെ തേജസ്സോടെ ശോഭിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• भस्मप्रभावात्: from the power of ash
• भस्मप्रभावात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (5th case, Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (भस्मनः प्रभावः)

• संप्राप्य: having attained
• संप्राप्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्+प्र+आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• बलैश्वर्यधृतिस्मृतीः: strength, lordship, fortitude, and memory
• बलैश्वर्यधृतिस्मृतीः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + धृति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd case), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (बलम्+ऐश्वर्यम्+धृतिः+स्मृतिः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• राजपुत्रः: the prince
• राजपुत्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (राज्ञः पुत्रः)

• शुशुभे: shone, appeared splendid
• शुशुभे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुभ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• शरदर्कः: the autumn sun
• शरदर्कः: Upamana (Standard of comparison/उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरद् (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शरदः अर्कः)

• इव: like
• इव: Sambandha (Comparison marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• श्रिया: with splendor/fortune
• श्रिया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd case), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The prince, now marked with vibhūti, stands radiant; his face calm, eyes clear; a golden-white aura like the autumn sun surrounds him, suggesting purified brilliance.

Characters & Entities

• bhasma
• rājaputra
• śarad-arka (autumn sun)
• aiśvarya
• dhṛti
• smṛti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaiva bhasma is praised as a source of both inner virtues (dhṛti, smṛti) and outer prosperity (aiśvarya).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, bhasma-dhāraṇa (wearing/applying sacred ash) as a means of divine uplift.