Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

रक्तचंदनगंधैस्तु शुचिःस्नातो महीतले । कृत्वा मंडलकं वृत्तमेकचित्तो व्यवस्थितः

Transliteration

raktacaṃdanagaṃdhaistu śuciḥsnāto mahītale | kṛtvā maṃḍalakaṃ vṛttamekacitto vyavasthitaḥ

Translation

Dalam keadaan suci setelah mandi, disapukan harum cendana merah (rakta-candana), di atas tanah hendaklah dibuat maṇḍala berbentuk bulat, lalu berdiri teguh dengan minda bertumpu satu titik.

Word by Word

• rakta-candana-gandhaiḥ: with fragrances of red sandalwood
• rakta-candana-gandhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rakta (प्रातिपदिक) + candana (प्रातिपदिक) + gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; (रक्तचन्दनस्य गन्धाः) इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; करण

• tu: indeed
• tu: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (indeed)

• śuciḥ: pure/clean
• śuciḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuci (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• snātaḥ: bathed
• snātaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √snā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → snāta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; विशेषण

• mahītale: on the ground/on the earth’s surface
• mahītale: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahītala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; (मही + तल) कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थे ‘भूमितल’ = earth-surface; अधिकरण

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वक्रिया (having made)

• maṇḍalakam: a small circle/mandala
• maṇḍalakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maṇḍalaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; कर्म

• vṛttam: round/circular
• vṛttam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; विशेषण (maṇḍalakam)

• eka-cittaḥ: single-minded
• eka-cittaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + citta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (एकं चित्तं यस्य); विशेषण

• vyavasthitaḥ: standing/steadily positioned
• vyavasthitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + ava + √sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → vyavasthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; स्थित/स्थितवान् (standing/positioned)

Speaker

Unknown (narrative voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya; speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (ritual ground within the kṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified (continuation to ‘priye’)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A freshly bathed devotee, skin tinted with red sandal paste, draws a neat circular maṇḍala on the earth; posture is steady, gaze lowered, the ritual space clearly demarcated.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True worship combines outer purity with inner steadiness—fragrant offerings and a focused mind together sanctify the rite.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra, where such carefully prepared worship-space is recommended as part of the sacred observance.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing, applying raktacandana fragrance, drawing a circular maṇḍala, and maintaining one-pointed attention.