Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 97

Devanagari script

एकादश्यां नवम्यां वा दीपं प्रज्वाल्य कुण्डकम् । मुखबिंबानि तत्रैव लेपदारुकृतानि वै

Transliteration

ekādaśyāṃ navamyāṃ vā dīpaṃ prajvālya kuṇḍakam | mukhabiṃbāni tatraiva lepadārukṛtāni vai

Translation

Pada hari Ekādaśī atau Navamī, setelah menyalakan pelita dalam mangkuk kecil, mereka meletakkan di situ juga topeng-topeng seperti wajah—sesungguhnya dibuat daripada kayu dan sapuan plaster.

Word by Word

• एकादश्याम्: on the eleventh (lunar day)
• एकादश्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एकादशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• नवम्याम्: or on the ninth (lunar day)
• नवम्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Option)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• दीपम्: a lamp
• दीपम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• प्रज्वाल्य: having lit
• प्रज्वाल्य: Purvakala (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ज्वल् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• कुण्डकम्: a small pit/bowl (kunda)
• कुण्डकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्डक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• मुखबिंबानि: face-images/face-discs
• मुखबिंबानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुख-बिंब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारयभाव-तत्पुरुषः—‘मुखस्य बिंबम्’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• लेपदारुकृतानि: made with plaster and wood (materials)
• लेपदारुकृतानि: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लेप-दारु-कृत (प्रातिपदिक; कृत = कृ(धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त-विशेषण; समासः—‘लेपेन दारुणा/दारुभिः कृतानि’ (उपकरण/साधन-तत्पुरुषभावः)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Sūta’s recitation in Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Night ritual at Prabhāsa: a small earthen/metal bowl-lamp burning steadily; nearby lie face-like masks made of wood and plaster, arranged for worship before a larger gathering begins.

Characters & Entities

• Ekādaśī
• Navamī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Time (tithi) and ritual acts can be used either for dharma or for deception; the Purāṇa urges right intention alongside observance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The larger chapter is within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, situated in the sacred geography of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Lighting a lamp (dīpa) on Ekādaśī or Navamī is mentioned, along with the placement of crafted face-forms/masks; the context appears descriptive rather than a straightforward endorsement.