Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 21

Devanagari script

भूषितानां वरस्त्रीणां सर्वांगीणां विशेषतः । तत्रस्थः पिबते पानं शुभगन्धान्वितं शुभम्

Transliteration

bhūṣitānāṃ varastrīṇāṃ sarvāṃgīṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ | tatrasthaḥ pibate pānaṃ śubhagandhānvitaṃ śubham

Translation

అత్యంత అలంకరింపబడిన, కులీనమైన, సర్వాంగసుందరీయైన స్త్రీల సన్నిధిలో అతడు అక్కడే నిలిచి, మధురసుగంధముతో కూడిన శుభపానీయమును పానము చేసెను.

Word by Word

• भूषितानाम्: of the adorned (women)
• भूषितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूष् (धातु) → भूषित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त: ‘adorned’

• वरस्त्रीणाम्: of excellent women
• वरस्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर + स्त्री (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘excellent women’

• सर्वांगीणाम्: of well-proportioned (women)
• सर्वांगीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अङ्गिन्/अङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘having all limbs (well-formed)’

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa (Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक (locative adverb)

• स्थः: being situated
• स्थः: Karta (Predicate qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थ (कृदन्त, क्त/क्तवत्-प्राय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘standing/being’ (as in तत्रस्थः)

• पिबते: drinks
• पिबते: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• पानम्: drink (beverage)
• पानम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• शुभगन्धान्वितम्: endowed with pleasant fragrance
• शुभगन्धान्वितम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ + गन्ध + अन्वित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘endowed with auspicious fragrance’

• शुभम्: auspicious/pleasant
• शुभम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying पानम्)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: (Primary interlocutor of the Prabhāsa-māhātmya section; not specified in given verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A coastal sacred precinct near Prabhāsa: noblewomen richly adorned with garlands and jeweled ornaments; a young prince partakes of a fragrant drink; the atmosphere is festive yet ominously poised.

Characters & Entities

• deva (implied)
• vara-striyaḥ (noble women)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse emphasizes ‘śubha’ (auspiciousness): in a holy region, even sensory pleasures are narrated as markers of sacred fortune.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s Raivataka environs, presented as inherently auspicious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription; the focus is on descriptive māhātmya.