Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 79

Devanagari script

भाविनीनामयं पुत्रः सांप्रतं च विशेषतः । स्नपनीयः पायितव्यः पोष्यः पाल्यः स्वपुत्रवत्

Transliteration

bhāvinīnāmayaṃ putraḥ sāṃprataṃ ca viśeṣataḥ | snapanīyaḥ pāyitavyaḥ poṣyaḥ pālyaḥ svaputravat

Translation

“此子在未来的岁月里将托付于你们——尤其从此刻起。应为他沐浴，喂以乳汁，抚养滋养，并加以守护，如同你们自己的儿子。”

Word by Word

• bhāvinīnām: of the future (mothers/wives)
• bhāvinīnām: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāvinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), षष्ठी (Gen/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• putraḥ: son
• putraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• sāṃpratam: now / at present
• sāṃpratam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sāṃprata (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: at present/now)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/विशेष-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: especially)

• snapanīyaḥ: to be bathed
• snapanīyaḥ: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √snap (स्नप् धातु) + anīya (अनीय)
• Form: अनीय-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligative), पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• pāyitavyaḥ: to be made to drink / to be fed (milk)
• pāyitavyaḥ: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pā (पा धातु) + ṇic (णिच्) + tavya (तव्य)
• Form: तव्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Singular); causative pāy- (to cause to drink)

• poṣyaḥ: to be nourished
• poṣyaḥ: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √puṣ (पुष् धातु) + ya (य)
• Form: यत्/य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• pālyaḥ: to be protected
• pālyaḥ: Karya (Obligation/कार्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √pāl (पाल् धातु) + ya (य)
• Form: य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (Nom/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• sva-putra-vat: like (your) own son
• sva-putra-vat: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sva + putra + vat (वत्)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (adverbial comparative: like one’s own son)

Speaker

Kapilā (inferred from context)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Women prepare water for bathing the child, a vessel of milk, and protective gestures; the mother instructs with urgency yet tenderness.

Characters & Entities

• Phenapa
• Kapilā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True dharma is practical care—nourishing and safeguarding the vulnerable as one’s own.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative belongs to Arbuda Khaṇḍa (Arbuda region); this verse emphasizes dharmic conduct rather than a tīrtha-phala.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Care-actions are listed: bathing (snāpana) and feeding (pāyana), framed as duties of guardianship.