Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कुमुदोत्पलकह्लारपद्मिनीखण्डमण्डितम् । सेवितं द्विजमुख्यैश्च सिद्धविद्याधरैस्तथा

Transliteration

kumudotpalakahlārapadminīkhaṇḍamaṇḍitam | sevitaṃ dvijamukhyaiśca siddhavidyādharaistathā

Translation

அது குமுதம், உத்பலம், கஹ்லாரம் ஆகிய நீர்தாமரைக் கூட்டங்களாலும், தாமரைத் தோட்டங்களாலும் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டது; மேலும் முதன்மைத் த்விஜர்களாலும், அதுபோல சித்தர் மற்றும் வித்யாதரர்களாலும் சேவிக்கப்பட்டது.

Word by Word

• kumuda-utpala-kahlāra-padminī-khaṇḍa-maṇḍitam: decorated with clusters of kumuda, utpala, kahlāra and lotus-plants
• kumuda-utpala-kahlāra-padminī-khaṇḍa-maṇḍitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kumuda (प्रातिपदिक) + utpala (प्रातिपदिक) + kahlāra (प्रातिपदिक) + padminī (प्रातिपदिक) + khaṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍita (कृदन्त; √maṇḍ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘maṇḍita’; तत्पुरुष-समास (kumudotpalakahlārapadminīkhaṇḍaiḥ maṇḍitam)

• sevitam: frequented, resorted to
• sevitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sevita (कृदन्त; √sev (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• dvija-mukhyaiḥ: by chief twice-born (brahmins)
• dvija-mukhyaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक) + mukhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (dvijānāṃ mukhyaiḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• siddha-vidyādharaiḥ: by Siddhas and Vidyādharas
• siddha-vidyādharaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: siddha (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyādhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (siddhāśca vidyādharāśca)

• tathā: likewise, also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक (adverb: ‘likewise/also’)

Speaker

Prahlāda (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: (Unnamed) Saras near Dvārakā

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Implied) Purāṇic audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Lotus-groves with kumuda, utpala, kahlāra blooming in bands; learned brāhmaṇas sit in recitation and discussion on the bank; above, siddhas and vidyādharas hover with garlands and instruments, honoring the tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Dvijamukhya (foremost Brāhmaṇas)
• Siddhas
• Vidyādharas
• Sacred lake

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true tīrtha is validated by both dharmic custodians (Brāhmaṇas) and higher beings (Siddhas), indicating multi-level sanctity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The newly created saras near Maya-saras in the Dvārakā region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual is stated; the verse highlights the tīrtha’s sanctity through its revered visitors.