Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

यत्र कण्टकिनो वृक्षा यत्र निष्पाववल्लरी । भार्या पुनर्भूर्वल्मीकस्तास्ते वसतयश्चिरम्

Transliteration

yatra kaṇṭakino vṛkṣā yatra niṣpāvavallarī | bhāryā punarbhūrvalmīkastāste vasatayaściram

Translation

എവിടെ മുള്ളുള്ള വൃക്ഷങ്ങളുണ്ടോ, എവിടെ നിഷ്പാവ വള്ളി വളരുന്നുവോ—അവിടെയാകട്ടെ നിന്റെ ഭാര്യ ‘പുനർഭൂ’; വൽമീകം (ചീമപ്പുറ്റ്) നിന്റെ വാസസ്ഥലമാകട്ടെ; ഇവ ദീർഘകാലം നിന്റെ വാസങ്ങളായിരിക്കും.

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• कण्टकिनः: thorny
• कण्टकिनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कण्टकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• वृक्षाः: trees
• वृक्षाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• निष्पाववल्लरी: a creeper of niṣpāva (bean-plant creeper)
• निष्पाववल्लरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निष्पाव + वल्लरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (निष्पावस्य वल्लरी); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• भार्या: wife
• भार्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• पुनर्भूः: a remarried woman; one who marries again
• पुनर्भूः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्भू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• वल्मीकः: anthill
• वल्मीकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्मीक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); एकवचन (Singular)

• ताः: those (f.)
• ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• ते: those (m.)
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• वसतयः: dwellings; abodes
• वसतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative); बहुवचन (Plural)

• चिरम्: for a long time
• चिरम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिरम् (अव्यय/नपुंसक-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (for a long time)

Speaker

Śiva (continuing to assign conditions/abodes)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (micro-site ecology within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A scrubland with thorny trees and a creeping vine; an anthill stands prominent as a dwelling-place; beside it stands ‘Punarbhū’ as the ordained companion; the mood is quiet, earthy, and enduring.

Characters & Entities

• Punarbhū
• Valmīka (anthill)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even harsh landscapes can become ordained abodes when sanctioned by the Divine—dharma sacralizes place beyond outward comfort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The wider frame is Prabhāsa-kṣetra, though this verse describes dwelling-signs rather than a named tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a descriptive allocation of residence and associated markers.