Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 12

Devanagari script

मृदमालभ्य सजलां विप्रा देवकरच्युताम् । धारयित्वा तु शिरसा स्नानं कुर्य्याद्यथाविधि

Transliteration

mṛdamālabhya sajalāṃ viprā devakaracyutām | dhārayitvā tu śirasā snānaṃ kuryyādyathāvidhi

Translation

婆罗门诸位，当取那从神明之手落下的湿润圣土，安置于头顶，然后依仪轨如法沐浴。

Word by Word

• mṛdam: clay, earth
• mṛdam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛd (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• ālabhya: having taken/obtained
• ālabhya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-labh (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: लभ् (to obtain/take) उपसर्ग: आ-

• sajalām: wet (with water)
• sajalām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: जलेन सह/जलेन युक्ता (wet, with water)

• viprāḥ: brāhmaṇas
• viprāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; (अत्र विधिवाक्ये सामान्यकर्ता—‘विप्रः/विप्राः’ इति)

• devakara-cyutām: fallen from a god’s hand
• devakara-cyutām: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + kara (प्रातिपदिक) + cyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: देवस्य करात् च्युता (fallen from the hand of a god)

• dhārayitvā: having placed/held
• dhārayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: धृ (to hold/bear)

• tu: indeed/then
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, विरोध/अनुक्रमसूचक (but/indeed)

• śirasā: with/on the head
• śirasā: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• snānam: bath
• snānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• kuryāt: should perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; धातु: कृ (to do/perform)

• yathā-vidhi: according to the prescribed rule
• yathā-vidhi: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः (according to rule)

Speaker

Deductive (Dvārakā Māhātmya narrator within Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa; traditionally Sūta speaking in Purāṇic frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Cakratīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vipras (brāhmaṇas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa pilgrim receives moist sacred earth as prasāda near the ghāṭa, places it reverently on the crown of the head, then steps toward the water for ritual bathing.

Characters & Entities

• Deva (deity)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification is holistic: sacred substances, reverent gestures, and correct practice together elevate the pilgrim.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is part of the Cakratīrtha/Dvārakā tīrtha-vidhi in this adhyāya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Apply/hold moist sacred earth (mṛd) upon the head, then perform snāna according to the prescribed method.