Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

दन्तकाष्ठविधानं तु प्रथमं कथयामि ते । मधूके पुत्रलाभः स्यादर्के नेत्रसुखं प्रिये

Transliteration

dantakāṣṭhavidhānaṃ tu prathamaṃ kathayāmi te | madhūke putralābhaḥ syādarke netrasukhaṃ priye

Translation

میں پہلے تمہیں دَنتکاشٹھ (دانت صاف کرنے کی لکڑی) کا قاعدہ بتاتا ہوں۔ مدھوکا کی ٹہنی سے اولاد کی نعمت ملتی ہے؛ اور ارک کی ٹہنی سے، اے محبوبہ، آنکھوں کو راحت اور عافیت حاصل ہوتی ہے۔

Word by Word

• dantakāṣṭhavidhānam: the rule/procedure of tooth-stick
• dantakāṣṭhavidhānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: danta (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-परम्परा (दन्तानां काष्ठस्य विधानम्)

• tu: indeed, however
• tu: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but/indeed)

• prathamam: first
• prathamam: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prathama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb ‘firstly’)

• kathayāmi: I tell/describe
• kathayāmi: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kath (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• madhūke: in/with madhūka (tree)
• madhūke: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhūka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• putralābhaḥ: gain of a son
• putralābhaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक) + lābha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुत्रस्य लाभः)

• syāt: would be/should occur
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• arke: in/with arka (plant)
• arke: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• netrasukham: comfort/health of the eyes
• netrasukham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक) + sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नेत्रस्य सुखम्)

• priye: O dear one
• priye: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: priyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Somanātha region)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A beloved interlocutor (priye; likely Devī/Pārvatī in this dialogue-style)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dawn in Prabhāsa, a pilgrim performs morning āhnika near the sea/river-mouth, holding a fresh twig (madhūka or arka) while a Somnātha shrine silhouette and sacred grove frame the scene; the verse’s ‘phala’ is suggested by subtle iconographic motifs—child-blessing and eye-lotus clarity.

Characters & Entities

• Dantakāṣṭha
• Madhūka
• Arka
• Netra (eyes)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even daily disciplines (ācāra) are sacralized in māhātmya contexts; right conduct is linked with specific, tradition-sanctioned fruits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instructions belong to the Sūrya worship regimen associated with Arkasthala in Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Use prescribed tooth-sticks: madhūka is said to yield putra-lābha, while arka is said to yield netra-sukha (well-being of the eyes).