Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तत्र विष्णोस्तु सांनिध्ये वायव्ये कुम्भमुत्तमम् । भल्लतीर्थं तु विख्यातं यत्र भल्लहतो हरिः

Transliteration

tatra viṣṇostu sāṃnidhye vāyavye kumbhamuttamam | bhallatīrthaṃ tu vikhyātaṃ yatra bhallahato hariḥ

Translation

ณ ที่นั้น ในสันนิธิแห่งพระวิษณุ ทางทิศวายัพ (ตะวันตกเฉียงเหนือ) มีหม้อน้ำกุมภะอันประเสริฐตั้งอยู่ สถานที่นั้นเลื่องลือว่า “พัลลตีรถะ” อันเป็นที่ซึ่งพระหริ (วิษณุ) ถูกภัลละ (ศร/ปลายหอก) กระทบ

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण/adverb of place)

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle; contrast/emphasis)

• सांनिध्ये: in the presence
• सांनिध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन

• वायव्ये: in the north-western (quarter)
• वायव्ये: Adhikarana (Qualifier of location/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (दिशावाचक)

• कुम्भम्: Kumbha (a sacred spot/‘pitcher’)
• कुम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भल्लतीर्थम्: Bhallatīrtha (the Bhalla ford)
• भल्लतीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भल्ल + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भल्लस्य तीर्थम्)

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/particle)

• विख्यातम्: well-known
• विख्यातम्: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्यात (ख्यै धातु; क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: ख्यै (धातु) + क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Relative location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्धबोधक/relative adverb of place)

• भल्लहतः: slain by Bhalla
• भल्लहतः: Karta (Qualifier of subject/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भल्ल + हत (हन् धातु; क्त/कृदन्त)
• Form: हन् (धातु) + क्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘भल्लेन हतः’ (instrumental sense)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Bhallatīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A mapped sacred spot: near Viṣṇu’s presence, to the north-west stands a prominent kumbha-like water vessel/marker; the tīrtha is named for the moment Hari was struck by a bhalla, evoking poignant remembrance within a holy landscape.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Hari
• Bhallatīrtha
• Vāyavya (north-west)
• Kumbha
• Bhalla

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are anchored in divine presence and sacred legend; the tīrtha’s power is tied to Viṣṇu’s līlā and the site’s remembered event.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Bhallatīrtha in Prabhāsa-kṣetra, identified by proximity to Viṣṇu and directional markers (vāyavya).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse provides sthala-identification details (direction and landmark).