Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

चित्रितं चित्रशास्त्रज्ञै रत्नचूर्णैः समु्ज्वलैः । स्वस्तिकैः पत्रवल्याद्यैर्लिंगोद्भवलतादिभिः

Transliteration

citritaṃ citraśāstrajñai ratnacūrṇaiḥ samu्jvalaiḥ | svastikaiḥ patravalyādyairliṃgodbhavalatādibhiḥ

Translation

ചിത്രശാസ്ത്രത്തിൽ നിപുണരായവർ അതിനെ കലാപൂർവ്വം ചിത്രീകരിച്ചിരുന്നു; ദീപ്തമായ രത്നചൂർണ്ണങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ട് അത് പ്രകാശിച്ചു; സ്വസ്തികം, പത്രവള്ളി രൂപങ്ങൾ, ലിംഗോദ്ഭവ-ലതാദി മംഗളചിഹ്നങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ട് അടയാളപ്പെടുത്തിയിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• citritam: decorated/painted
• citritam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √citr (चित्र—चित्रणे)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (painted/variegated)

• citra-śāstra-jñaiḥ: by experts in painting/art
• citra-śāstra-jñaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: citra (प्रातिपदिक) + śāstra (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (citraśāstre jñāḥ = experts in the art/science of painting)

• ratna-cūrṇaiḥ: with gem-powders
• ratna-cūrṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + cūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (ratnānāṃ cūrṇaiḥ)

• samujjvalaiḥ: very bright, shining
• samujjvalaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ud-√jval (ज्वल्—दीप्तौ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-भावे विशेषणवत्), तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; (very bright/shining)

• svastikaiḥ: with swastika motifs
• svastikaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svastika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• patravallī-ādyaiḥ: with leaf-vines and the like
• patravallī-ādyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patravallī (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (patravallī-ādi = leaf-creepers and the like)

• liṅga-udbhava-latā-ādibhiḥ: with motifs like the Liṅga-emergence creeper, etc.
• liṅga-udbhava-latā-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + udbhava (प्रातिपदिक) + latā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला (liṅgodbhavā latā = the creeper of the Liṅga’s emergence; and others)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution within Māhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual floor and walls painted by expert artisans: bright gem-powder designs, svastikas, curling leaf-vines, and a central Liṅgodbhava motif—Śiva as an infinite pillar of light—rendered as an auspicious emblem.

Characters & Entities

• Liṅga
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Auspicious symbols and Śaiva iconography sanctify the mind; beauty becomes a vehicle for dharma and devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, presented as a divinely ornamented realm fit for Śiva’s worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Ritual decoration (alaṅkāra) using auspicious signs like svastika and Śaiva motifs such as liṅgodbhava.