Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

लेपाभावाच्छिरोहीनं शेषांगावयवं नृप । यथोक्तं निर्मयित्वा तं स्कन्दं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत्

Transliteration

lepābhāvācchirohīnaṃ śeṣāṃgāvayavaṃ nṛpa | yathoktaṃ nirmayitvā taṃ skandaṃ vākyamathābravīt

Translation

ഹേ നൃപാ! ലേപം പോരായ്മകൊണ്ട് അവനെ ശിരസ്സില്ലാത്തവനായി, ശേഷിച്ച അവയവങ്ങളോടെ യഥോക്തമായി നിർമ്മിച്ച്, പിന്നെ സ്കന്ദനോടു വചനം അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു.

Word by Word

• लेपाभावात्: from the absence of paste
• लेपाभावात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लेप + अभाव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लेपस्य अभावः)

• शिरःहीनम्: headless
• शिरःहीनम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिरस् + हीन (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषार्थः (शिरसा हीनम् = headless)

• शेषाङ्गावयवम्: with the remaining limbs/parts (intact)
• शेषाङ्गावयवम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शेष + अङ्ग + अवयव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शेषस्य अङ्गानां अवयवः/समूहः)

• नृप: O king
• नृप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), एकवचन

• यथोक्तम्: as stated/according to what was said
• यथोक्तम्: Kriya-visheshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + उक्त (वच्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (as said)

• निर्मयित्वा: having fashioned/created
• निर्मयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: निर्मा (निर्मा/मा धातु with नि: उपसर्ग)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्कन्दम्: Skanda
• स्कन्दम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरार्थक-अव्यय (then)

• अब्रवीत्: said/spoke
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist/Imperfect-like narrative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gaurī fashions a body from fragrant unguent; the form is complete in limbs but headless; she turns to Skanda and speaks, initiating the next action.

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Skanda
• Pārvatī (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic narratives frame sacred power through divine intention and dialogue—events become tīrtha-memory when linked to deities like Skanda.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the Mahāvināyaka origin narrative that supports the shrine’s sanctity within Arbuda Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it sets up the forthcoming instruction/dialogue involving Skanda.