Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

शतमर्धशतं वापि तदर्धार्धं यथेच्छया । सुरासवभृतैः कुंभैस्तर्पयेत्परमेश्वरीम्

Transliteration

śatamardhaśataṃ vāpi tadardhārdhaṃ yathecchayā | surāsavabhṛtaiḥ kuṃbhaistarpayetparameśvarīm

Translation

നൂറോ, അമ്പതോ, അല്ലെങ്കിൽ അതിന്റെ പകുതിയോ—ഇഷ്ടാനുസാരം—സുരയും ആസവവും നിറഞ്ഞ കുംഭങ്ങളാൽ പരമേശ്വരിക്ക് തർപ്പണം ചെയ്യണം।

Word by Word

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (परिमाणवाचक)

• अर्धशतम्: half a hundred (fifty)
• अर्धशतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अर्धं शतम्)

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विकल्पार्थक (or)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Nipata (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय/अप्यर्थ (also/even)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनरूप (समासपूर्वपदत्वे)

• अर्धार्धम्: half of that half (a quarter)
• अर्धार्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (अर्धस्य अर्धम्)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/उपमानवाचक (as/according to)

• इच्छया: by (one's) wish
• इच्छया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• सुरासवभृतैः: filled with surā and āsava
• सुरासवभृतैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरा (प्रातिपदिक) + आसव (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—(सुरा+आसव) द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद + भृत (भृ धातोः क्त) इति तत्पुरुषः: सुरासवेन भृताः (filled with liquor and fermented drink)

• कुम्भैः: with pots/jars
• कुम्भैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• तर्पयेत्: should satisfy / should offer libations to
• तर्पयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तृप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: satisfy/offer libation)

• परमेश्वरीम्: the Supreme Goddess
• परमेश्वरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमा ईश्वरी)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At Prabhāsa, priests arrange rows of large earthen/brass kumbhas filled for tarpaṇa before a fierce yet auspicious Devī icon; attendants hold lamps and flowers; the sea-breeze and temple banners frame the rite.

Characters & Entities

• Parameśvarī (Devī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual duty is framed with flexibility of capacity—numbers may vary—while maintaining the intention of reverent offering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where such Devī-tarpaṇa is described as part of the local sacred observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tarpaṇa to the Goddess using a chosen number of pots filled with surā/āsava (as specified).