Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

कदा कस्तूरिकाभासं कुंकुमच्छविकावहम् । सौगन्धं चंदनोपेतं कदाचिद्रौधि रोदकम्

Transliteration

kadā kastūrikābhāsaṃ kuṃkumacchavikāvaham | saugandhaṃ caṃdanopetaṃ kadācidraudhi rodakam

Translation

ചിലപ്പോൾ കസ്തൂരിസദൃശമായ ആഭാസം; ചിലപ്പോൾ കുങ്കുമത്തിന്റെ ദീപ്തി വഹിക്കുന്നു. സുഗന്ധസമ്പന്നം, ചന്ദനസൗരഭത്തോടെ യുക്തം; വീണ്ടും ചിലപ്പോൾ രൗദ്രമായി ഉഗ്രവും ഉന്മത്തവുമായിത്തീരും.

Word by Word

• कदा: at times
• कदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक प्रश्न/अनिश्चितार्थ (at times/when)

• कस्तूरिकाभासम्: musk-like (in appearance/odor)
• कस्तूरिकाभासम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कस्तूरिका-आभास (प्रातिपदिक; कस्तूरिका + आभास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (musk-scent/appearance-like)

• कुङ्कुम: saffron
• कुङ्कुम: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• छवि: luster; hue
• छवि: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• कावहम्: bringing a saffron-like hue
• कावहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क-आवह (प्रातिपदिक; आवह from आ-वह्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘कुङ्कुम-छवि’ इति कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषपूर्वपदसमासः + ‘आवह’ (bringing)

• सौगन्धम्: fragrant
• सौगन्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक; सु + गन्ध)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (fragrant)

• चन्दन: sandalwood
• चन्दन: Samasa-anga (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• उपेतम्: endowed with; accompanied by
• उपेतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप-इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (endowed with)

• कदाचित्: sometimes
• कदाचित्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (sometimes)

• रौधि: obstructs; blocks (flow)
• रौधि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (raudhi = obstructs/blocks; or becomes turbid—contextual)

• रोदकम्: water; liquid
• रोदकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sacred essence at Prabhāsa alternates: musk-dark sheen, saffron radiance, sandal fragrance wafting through air; then suddenly the waters/substance churns fiercely, startling onlookers.

Characters & Entities

• Rasa (essence/alchemical fluid)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine power in a tīrtha is dynamic—shifting from gentle fragrance to awe-inspiring force—inviting reverence and disciplined approach.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The miraculous rasa connected with the kuṇḍa in Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the verse emphasizes the changing qualities that a pilgrim may witness.