Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

तवापि भस्मसंपर्कात्संजाता विमला मतिः । त्वमपि श्रद्धया पुण्यं धारयस्व त्रिपुंड्रकम्

Transliteration

tavāpi bhasmasaṃparkātsaṃjātā vimalā matiḥ | tvamapi śraddhayā puṇyaṃ dhārayasva tripuṃḍrakam

Translation

ପବିତ୍ର ଭସ୍ମର ସଂସ୍ପର୍ଶରେ ତୋର ମନୋବୁଦ୍ଧି ମଧ୍ୟ ନିର୍ମଳ ହୋଇଛି। ତୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାରେ ପୁଣ୍ୟଦାୟକ ତ୍ରିପୁଣ୍ଡ୍ର ଧାରଣ କର।

Word by Word

• तव: of you/your
• तव: Sambandha (Possessor/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थ (also/even)

• भस्म-संपर्कात्: from contact with ash
• भस्म-संपर्कात्: Apadana (Source/From)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भस्म (प्रातिपदिक) + संपर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (भस्मस्य संपर्कः), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन (Singular)

• संजाता: has arisen/been produced
• संजाता: Kriya (Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + √जन् (धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• विमला: pure/spotless
• विमला: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• मतिः: understanding/mind
• मतिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय (also)

• श्रद्धया: with faith
• श्रद्धया: Karana (Instrument/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• पुण्यम्: meritorious/holy
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• धारयस्व: wear/hold (you should)
• धारयस्व: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √धृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्: the tripuṇḍra (three ash-marks)
• त्रिपुण्ड्रकम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्ड्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (त्रयः पुण्ड्रकाः यस्य/त्रि-पुण्ड्रक), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Vāmadeva (contextual; immediately followed by Sūta’s narration of Vāmadeva’s act)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ghora (the Brahma-rākṣasa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śaiva guru instructs a formerly afflicted being: the guru holds sacred ash; the disciple’s face shows dawning clarity as tripuṇḍra is recommended with śraddhā.

Characters & Entities

• Bhasma
• Tripuṇḍra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred ash and faith-based observance purify the mind and orient one toward higher dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the emphasis is on the ritual emblem (Tripuṇḍra) and the sanctifying power of bhasma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

To wear (dhārayasva) the Tripuṇḍra with faith (śraddhā), linked with bhasma.