Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 116

Devanagari script

झषवक्त्रः स्थिता चाहं मृता कृष्टा जनैर्बहिः । अग्निं दत्त्वा जले क्षिप्त्वा भस्म लोका गृहान्गताः

Transliteration

jhaṣavaktraḥ sthitā cāhaṃ mṛtā kṛṣṭā janairbahiḥ | agniṃ dattvā jale kṣiptvā bhasma lokā gṛhāngatāḥ

Translation

എന്റെ മുഖം മീന്റെ മുഖംപോലെ വികൃതമായി; ഞാൻ അവിടെ മരിച്ച നിലയിൽ കിടന്നു. ആളുകൾ എന്നെ പുറത്തേക്ക് വലിച്ചെടുത്തു; അഗ്നിസംസ്കാരം നടത്തി ഭസ്മം വെള്ളത്തിൽ ഒഴുക്കി അവർ തങ്ങളുടെ വീടുകളിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങി।

Word by Word

• झषवक्त्रः: (one) with a fish-like mouth
• झषवक्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: झष (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (झषस्य वक्त्रम्/झष-वक्त्रः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थिताः: stood, remained
• स्थिताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त/भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकृत् (Past active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; (वाक्ये कर्तृवाचक-विशेषणरूपेण)

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

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मृता: dead
• मृता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) → मृत (कृदन्त/भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकृत् (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अहम्)

• कृष्टा: dragged, pulled
• कृष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष् (धातु) → कृष्ट (कृदन्त/भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकृत् (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अहम्)

• जनैः: by people
• जनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

• बहिः: outside
• बहिः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बहिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• जले: in water
• जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• क्षिप्त्वा: having thrown
• क्षिप्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु) → क्षिप्त्वा (क्त्वान्त/अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• भस्म: ashes
• भस्म: Karma (Result/कर्मफल)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्मन्/भस्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; (फल/परिणामवाचक)

• लोकाः: people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• गृहान्: homes
• गृहान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• गताः: went
• गताः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त/भूतकृत्)
• Form: भूतकृत् (Past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तरि-प्रयोगार्थ

Speaker

Unspecified (same narrator to the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Godāvarī-tīrtha (ashes immersion)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The deceased lies by the river with a fish-like disfigurement; mourners pull the body to shore; a small funeral fire is lit; later, ashes are reverently cast into the flowing river; the crowd disperses in silence.

Characters & Entities

• agni (funeral fire/rites)
• jale (water)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even death is framed within dharma through rites, and sacred waters serve as channels of purification and transition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The river setting (Godāvarī context) where ashes are consigned to water, highlighting tīrtha sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Funerary procedure is indicated: offering fire rites and consigning ashes (bhasma) to water.