Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 49
ब्राह्मणः कम्बलो गावः सूर्योग्निरतिथिश्च वै । तिला दर्भाश्च कालश्च नवैते कुतपाः स्मृताः
brāhmaṇaḥ kambalo gāvaḥ sūryogniratithiśca vai | tilā darbhāśca kālaśca navaite kutapāḥ smṛtāḥ
ബ്രാഹ്മണൻ, കമ്പളം, പശുക്കൾ, സൂര്യൻ, അഗ്നി, അതിഥി; എള്ള്, ദർഭ, കാലം—ഇവ ഒമ്പതും ‘കുതപ’ങ്ങളായി സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.
Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)
Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra
Type: kshetra
Scene: A śrāddha/dāna pavilion at Prabhāsa: a brāhmaṇa seated on a kambala, darbha spread, tilā in a vessel, sacred fire lit, cows nearby, the sun overhead, and an atithi being honored with water and food; time personified as a subtle wheel/clock motif.
FAQs
Śrāddha is upheld by sacred supports—persons, substances, and auspicious timing—so the rite becomes spiritually potent.
Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where śrāddha standards like the ‘kutapa’ set are taught within the place’s māhātmya.
Recognize and employ the nine ‘kutapas’ in śrāddha: Brāhmaṇa, blanket, cows, sun, fire, guest, sesame, darbha, and proper time.