Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

कौसुंभं पादयुगले कुंकुमं पीतकंचुकम् । ब्राह्मणीभ्यो ददन्तीह स्पर्द्धमानाः पृथक्पृथक्

Transliteration

kausuṃbhaṃ pādayugale kuṃkumaṃ pītakaṃcukam | brāhmaṇībhyo dadantīha sparddhamānāḥ pṛthakpṛthak

Translation

یہاں وہ آپس میں مقابلہ کرتے ہوئے برہمن عورتوں کو الگ الگ دے دیتی ہیں—قدموں کے جوڑے کے لیے کُسُمبھ رنگ، کُمکُم، اور زرد کَنجُک (چولی)۔

Word by Word

• कौसुम्भम्: safflower-dye/kausumbha cloth/dye
• कौसुम्भम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• पाद-युगले: on the pair of feet
• पाद-युगले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + युगल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• कुङ्कुमम्: saffron/vermilion
• कुङ्कुमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुङ्कुम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पीत-कञ्चुकम्: a yellow bodice/garment
• पीत-कञ्चुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक) + कञ्चुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मणीभ्यः: to the brāhmaṇa women
• ब्राह्मणीभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी/पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Dative/Ablative 4th/5th), बहुवचन; अत्र दानकर्मणि चतुर्थी (dative of recipient)

• ददन्ति: they give
• ददन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्पर्धमानाः: competing/rivaling
• स्पर्धमानाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पर्ध् (धातु) + मान (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present middle participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पृथक्-पृथक्: separately, each one apart
• पृथक्-पृथक्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृथक् (अव्यय) + पृथक् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-अव्यय (reduplicated adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Princesses, each separately and playfully competing, present safflower dye, kumkuma, and yellow bodices to Brāhmaṇa women in a tirtha setting—hands extended with trays, textiles folded, powders in small bowls.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇī (Brāhmaṇa women)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity (dāna) performed in a holy place—especially to Brāhmaṇa families—becomes a visible expression of dharma and communal merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha-kṣetra in Prabhāsa, portrayed as a place where dharmic giving is actively practiced.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna of kausumbha dye, kumkuma, and yellow garments/bodices to Brāhmaṇī-s (Brāhmaṇa women).