Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 18

Devanagari script

लक्षपत्रदलाढ्यैश्च श्वेतपद्मैश्च भूषितम् । अप्सरोभिः समाकीर्णं पुष्पप्रकरविस्तृतम्

Transliteration

lakṣapatradalāḍhyaiśca śvetapadmaiśca bhūṣitam | apsarobhiḥ samākīrṇaṃ puṣpaprakaravistṛtam

Translation

അത് ധാരാളം ഇലകളും ദളങ്ങളും കൊണ്ട് സമൃദ്ധവും ശ്വേതപദ്മങ്ങളാൽ ഭൂഷിതവുമായിരുന്നു; അപ്സരസ്സുകളാൽ നിറഞ്ഞു, നാനാവിധ പുഷ്പക്കൂമ്പാരങ്ങളാൽ വ്യാപിച്ചിരുന്നതുമായിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• लक्षपत्रदलाढ्यैः: with (things) rich in countless petals/leaves
• लक्षपत्रदलाढ्यैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दल (प्रातिपदिक) + आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-निष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘लक्षाणि पत्रदलानि यस्य/येषां तैः’ (abounding in lakhs of petals/leaves)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• श्वेतपद्मैः: with white lotuses
• श्वेतपद्मैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्वेत (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (पद्म), तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय: ‘श्वेतानि पद्मानि’ (white lotuses)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूषितम्: decorated
• भूषितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूषित (कृदन्त; √भूष् (धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त)

• अप्सरोभिः: with apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• समाकीर्णम्: thronged/filled
• समाकीर्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाकीर्ण (कृदन्त; √कॄ/कॄञ् (धातु) उपसर्ग-सम्+आ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त)

• पुष्पप्रकरविस्तृतम्: spread with heaps of flowers
• पुष्पप्रकरविस्तृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकर (प्रातिपदिक) + विस्तृत (कृदन्त; √स्तॄ/स्तृ (धातु) उपसर्ग-वि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘पुष्पाणां प्रकरैः विस्तृतम्’ (spread out with heaps/collections of flowers)

Speaker

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

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somnātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The sacred space is carpeted with leaves and petals; clusters of white lotuses stand out; heaps of mixed flowers spread in abundance while Apsarases fill the hall like a moving garland.

Characters & Entities

• Apsaras
• Śaṅkara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity (symbolized by the white lotus) and abundance of offerings reflect wholehearted devotion in a sacred tīrtha.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, shown as a place where celestial beings gather amid divine floral splendour.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Flower-offerings and beautification of the worship space, especially with lotuses and abundant floral arrangements.