Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

एवं संस्नाप्य विधिना ब्रह्माणं बालरूपिणम् । कर्पूरागरुतोयेन ततः संस्नापयेद्द्विजः

Transliteration

evaṃ saṃsnāpya vidhinā brahmāṇaṃ bālarūpiṇam | karpūrāgarutoyena tataḥ saṃsnāpayeddvijaḥ

Translation

ഇങ്ങനെ വിധിപ്രകാരം ബാലരൂപിയായ ബ്രഹ്മാവിനെ സ്നാപനം ചെയ്ത ശേഷം, ദ്വിജൻ കർപ്പൂരം-അഗരു സുഗന്ധമുള്ള ജലത്തോടെ വീണ്ടും സ്നാപനം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverb): ‘एवं/thus’

• संस्नाप्य: having bathed (him)
• संस्नाप्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकर्म (having bathed/washed); धातु: √स्ना (स्नान) उपसर्ग: सम्

• विधिना: by the proper rite/method
• विधिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; ‘विधिना’ = विधि-रूपेण (by the prescribed method)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• बालरूपिणम्: having the form of a child
• बालरूपिणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण) of ‘ब्रह्माणम्’
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समास: बालस्य रूपं यस्य (bāla-rūpin)

• कर्पूरागरुतोयेन: with water (scented) with camphor and agaru
• कर्पूरागरुतोयेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karpūra (प्रातिपदिक) + agaru (प्रातिपदिक) + toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समास: कर्पूर-च-अगरु-युक्तं तोयम् (water with camphor and agaru)

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Temporal adverb/कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्/adverb): ‘ततः/thereafter’

• संस्नापयेत्: should bathe (him)
• संस्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्ना (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष? actually कर्तरि: तृतीयपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; causative sense ‘to cause to bathe’ (संस्नापयति)

• द्विजः: the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A child-form Brahmā icon is bathed first with ritual liquids, then with clear fragrant water; camphor crystals and agaru chips are shown dissolving in a silver vessel, releasing aroma.

Characters & Entities

• Bālarūpa Brahmā
• Karpūra
• Agaru
• Dvija
• Abhiṣeka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional excellence is expressed through careful sequence and refinement—after purification, worship proceeds to auspicious fragrance and honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where the worship of Bālarūpa Brahmā is ritually detailed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

After the main abhiṣeka, perform a further bath with camphor- and agaru-scented water.