Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 43
Devanagari script
स बिभ्रद्भस्म विशदे प्रकोष्ठे वरकंकणम् । महारत्नपरिस्तीर्णं ज्वलंतं तरुणार्कवत्
Transliteration
sa bibhradbhasma viśade prakoṣṭhe varakaṃkaṇam | mahāratnaparistīrṇaṃ jvalaṃtaṃ taruṇārkavat
Translation
他身披明净的圣灰；其前臂戴着一只上妙手镯，镶满大宝，光焰如初升之日。
Word by Word
saḥhe
saḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
bibhratbearing; wearing
bibhrat:
Kriya-visheshana (Participial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Root√bhṛ (भृ धातु)
Formवर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; प्रथमा, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन (present participle)
bhasmasacred ash
bhasma:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbhasman (भस्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन
viśadebright; clear
viśade:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootviśada (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन; ‘प्रकोष्ठे’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
prakoṣṭheon the forearm/wrist area
prakoṣṭhe:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootprakoṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन
vara-kaṃkaṇaman excellent bracelet
vara-kaṃkaṇam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvara (प्रातिपदिक) + kaṃkaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (वरं कंकणम्)
mahā-ratna-paristīrṇamspread/covered with great gems
mahā-ratna-paristīrṇam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootmahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ratna (प्रातिपदिक) + pari-√stṛ (स्तृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महारत्नैः परिस्तीर्णम्)
jvalantamshining; blazing
jvalantam:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Root√jval (ज्वल् धातु, शतृ-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (‘shining’)
taruṇa-arka-vatlike the rising/young sun
taruṇa-arka-vat:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottaruṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (वत्-प्रत्यय; तद्धित)
Formअव्यय; उपमानवाचक (‘like the young sun’)
Speaker
Narrator (contextual, unspecified in snippet)
Visual Art Cues
Scene: A Śaiva devotee’s forearm bears a brilliant gem-studded bracelet, glowing like the young sun, while his body is marked with pure, bright sacred ash.
Characters & Entities
B
bhasmaK
kaṃkaṇa (bracelet)FAQs
The devotee combines Śaiva austerity (bhasma) with worldly wealth, setting the stage for testing desire, generosity, and dharma.
No specific sacred place is referenced in this verse.
The wearing of bhasma is depicted as a Śaiva devotional practice, but no formal injunction is stated.