Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

वृषभस्तत्र दातव्यः प्रवृत्ते क्षुरकर्मणि । आत्मप्रकृतिदानं च पीतवस्त्रं तथैव च

Transliteration

vṛṣabhastatra dātavyaḥ pravṛtte kṣurakarmaṇi | ātmaprakṛtidānaṃ ca pītavastraṃ tathaiva ca

Translation

அங்கே க்ஷௌரகர்மம் (முண்டனம்) தொடங்கியபோது, வृषபத்தை தானமாக அளிக்க வேண்டும். தன் ஆற்றலுக்கேற்ப தானமும், மஞ்சள் ஆடையும் சமர்ப்பிக்க வேண்டும்.

Word by Word

• वृषभः: a bull
• वृषभः: Karma (Object-to-be-given/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

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

• दातव्यः: to be given/should be donated
• दातव्यः: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दा (धातु) → दातव्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘देयः/दातुमर्हः’

• प्रवृत्ते: when commenced/being undertaken
• प्रवृत्ते: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वृत्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; ‘आरब्धे/प्रारब्धे’

• क्षुरकर्मणि: in the act of shaving (tonsure)
• क्षुरकर्मणि: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुर (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचनम्; समासः: क्षुरस्य कर्म = क्षुरकर्म (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• आत्मप्रकृतिदानम्: a donation according to one’s means/nature
• आत्मप्रकृतिदानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक) + दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः: आत्मनः प्रकृतिः (स्वभावः/यथाशक्ति) तया दानम् = आत्मप्रकृतिदानम् (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष)

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

• पीतवस्त्रम्: a yellow garment
• पीतवस्त्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; समासः: पीतम् वस्त्रम् = पीतवस्त्रम् (कर्मधारय)

• तथा: likewise, so
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (रीतिवाचक/adverb): ‘एवम्’

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निश्चय/अवधारण particle)

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

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at the sea-edge of Prabhāsa prepare for a shaving-rite; a donor presents a decorated bull and a folded yellow cloth to a priest, with Somnātha’s shrine and the surf in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Bull (vṛṣabha)
• shaving rite (kṣurakarma)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is completed by generosity—purification is paired with dāna and humility.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where pilgrimage rites include shaving and prescribed gifts.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

During the shaving rite, give a bull in charity, offer gifts according to capacity, and donate a yellow garment.