Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

भागत्रयं तु संशुद्धं तृणपाषाणवर्जितम् । एकमस्त्रेण चालभ्य तथान्यं भास्करेण तु

Transliteration

bhāgatrayaṃ tu saṃśuddhaṃ tṛṇapāṣāṇavarjitam | ekamastreṇa cālabhya tathānyaṃ bhāskareṇa tu

Translation

നന്നായി ശുദ്ധമായ, പുല്ലും കല്ലും ഇല്ലാത്ത മണ്ണ് മൂന്നു ഭാഗമാക്കണം. ഒരു ഭാഗം അസ്ത്ര-മന്ത്രംകൊണ്ട് സ്പർശിക്കണം; മറ്റൊരു ഭാഗം ഭാസ്കര (സൂര്യ) മന്ത്രംകൊണ്ട്.

Word by Word

• भागत्रयम्: a set of three portions
• भागत्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भागत्रय (प्रातिपदिक; भाग + त्रय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयार्थ-तत्पुरुषः (त्रयो भागाः/भागानां त्रयम्)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle)

• संशुद्धम्: purified
• संशुद्धम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुध्/शुच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गः सम्-

• तृणपाषाणवर्जितम्: free from grass and stones
• तृणपाषाणवर्जितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृण-पाषाण-वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; तृण + पाषाण + वर्जित)
• Form: कृदन्त-क्त (PPP) ‘वर्जित’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तृणपाषाणाभ्यां वर्जितम्)

• एकम्: one (portion)
• एकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भाग’ इत्यस्य अव्यक्त-विशेष्य (one portion)

• अस्त्रेण: with the (mantra-)weapon
• अस्त्रेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आलभ्य: having taken/obtained
• आलभ्य: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); उपसर्गः आ-

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (likewise)

• अन्यम्: another (portion)
• अन्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भाग’ इत्यस्य अव्यक्त-विशेष्य (another portion)

• भास्करेण: by/with the Sun
• भास्करेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (particle)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sūrya-oriented Prabhāsa snāna (preparatory rite)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three neat portions of purified clay are arranged; the pilgrim touches one with a protective astra-mantra and another with a solar mantra, preparing for consecrated application.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara (Sūrya)
• Astra-mantra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even ritual materials are to be sanctified: purity is both physical (free of debris) and mantric (touched with sacred formulas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, emphasizing correct preparation for sacred bathing and Sūrya-oriented worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prepare three clean portions of clay; ritually touch one with the astra-mantra and another with the Bhāskara mantra.