Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

भल्लेनाहं यतो विद्धस्त्वया पादतले शुभे । भल्लतीर्थमिति ख्यातं ततो ह्येतद्भविष्यति

Transliteration

bhallenāhaṃ yato viddhastvayā pādatale śubhe | bhallatīrthamiti khyātaṃ tato hyetadbhaviṣyati

Translation

நீ என் திருப்பாதத்தின் நல்வாய்ந்த உள்ளங்காலில் பல்ல அம்பால் என்னைத் துளைத்ததனால், இவ்விடம் இனி ‘பல்லதீர்த்தம்’ எனப் புகழ்பெறும்.

Word by Word

• भल्लेन: with/by an arrow
• भल्लेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण) विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• यतः: since/because
• यतः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कारणार्थक-सम्बन्धबोधक (indeclinable; causal/relative sense ‘since/because’)

• विद्धः: pierced/wounded
• विद्धः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (past passive participle; nominative singular)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr (Agent in passive/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• पादतले: on the sole of the foot
• पादतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (पादस्य तलम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular)

• शुभे: auspicious
• शुभे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular; addressing/qualifying पादतले)

• भल्लतीर्थम्: the Bhalla-tīrtha (pilgrimage ford)
• भल्लतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास (भल्लस्य तीर्थम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular)

• इति: thus/so called
• इति: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-उद्धरणसूचक (quotative particle)

• ख्यातम्: is known/renowned
• ख्यातम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (PPP; ‘is known/called’)

• ततः: therefore/then
• ततः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्/ततः अर्थे (therefore/from that)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निश्चयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nom./Acc. singular)

• भविष्यति: will be/come to be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (3rd sg fut.)

Speaker

Viṣṇu

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhalla-tīrtha

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Jarā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close focus on the bhalla-arrow and the auspicious sole of the Lord’s foot (with śrīvatsa/lotus-like marks implied), while the surrounding ground subtly transforms into a marked tīrtha spot, as if the landscape itself receives a name.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Bhalla-tīrtha
• lubdhaka (hunter)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are often sanctified through divine events; the Lord’s līlā becomes the basis for tīrtha-glory.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhalla-tīrtha within Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it explains the origin of the tīrtha’s name.