Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 150

Devanagari script

बल्लाकरं वरं यूपा क्षिप्तकुल्माषकं तथा । सोहालिका भिन्नवटा लाप्सिका पद्मचूर्णकम्

Transliteration

ballākaraṃ varaṃ yūpā kṣiptakulmāṣakaṃ tathā | sohālikā bhinnavaṭā lāpsikā padmacūrṇakam

Translation

‘ബല്ലാകരം, വരം, യൂപാ, ക്ഷിപ്തകുല്മാഷകം; സോഹാലികാ, ഭിന്നവടാ, ലാപ്സികാ, പദ്മചൂർണകം—ഇവ മംഗളാവസരത്തിനായി ഒരുക്കിയ നൈവേദ്യഭോജനങ്ങൾ.’

Word by Word

• बल्लाकरम्: ballākara (a weapon/object name)
• बल्लाकरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल्लाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वरम्: excellent
• वरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (for बल्लाकरम्)

• यूपा: yūpa (sacrificial post)
• यूपा: Karta (Listed item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पाठानुसार); सूची-प्रयोगे नामनिर्देशः

• क्षिप्तकुल्माषकम्: kṣipta-kulmāṣaka (a named implement/weapon)
• क्षिप्तकुल्माषकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षिप्त (√क्षिप् क्त) + कुल्माषक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (a 'thrown/scattered' kulmāṣaka)

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक (adverb: 'also')

• सोहालिका: sohālikā (a named object)
• सोहालिका: Karta (Listed item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोहालिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पाठानुसार); सूची-प्रयोगे नामनिर्देशः

• भिन्नवटा: bhinnavaṭā (a named object)
• भिन्नवटा: Karta (Listed item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भिन्न (√भिद् क्त) + वट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पाठानुसार); कर्मधारय (split/broken banyan)

• लाप्सिका: lāpsikā (a named object)
• लाप्सिका: Karta (Listed item/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाप्सिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (पाठानुसार); सूची-प्रयोगे नामनिर्देशः

• पद्मचूर्णकम्: padma-cūrṇaka (lotus-powder; named item)
• पद्मचूर्णकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म + चूर्णक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (powder of lotus / lotus-powder implement)

Speaker

Narrator (list-style enumeration; speaker not explicit in the excerpt)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual kitchen and offering hall: rows of leaf-plates and bowls with various traditional preparations labeled by name; priests prepare naivedya while devotees arrange offerings before the deity; a festive communal meal follows.

Characters & Entities

• Named offerings/foods (Ballākara, Vara, Yūpā, Kṣiptakulmāṣaka, Sohālikā, Bhinnavaṭā, Lāpsikā, Padmacūrṇaka)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred celebration is expressed through pure offerings and communal auspiciousness—devotion becomes tangible in naivedya and hospitality.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Dharmāraṇya’s mahatmya, the verse supports the atmosphere of sacred festival and worship connected to the Goddess’s victory and protection.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It implies naivedya-style offerings (named preparations) associated with worship/celebration, though it does not give procedural instructions.