Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

प्रभासतीर्थं विख्यातं ततोपि शुभदं नृणाम् । सोमेश्वरस्य पुरतस्तत्र स्नातो न गर्भभाक्

Transliteration

prabhāsatīrthaṃ vikhyātaṃ tatopi śubhadaṃ nṛṇām | someśvarasya puratastatra snāto na garbhabhāk

Translation

ثم يأتي تيرثا برابهاسا المشهور، وهو أشدّ يمنًا للناس. وأمام سوميشڤارا، من اغتسل هناك لا يعود «حاملاً للرحم» أي لا يُبعث إلى ولادةٍ جديدة.

Word by Word

• प्रभासतीर्थम्: the Prabhāsa tīrtha
• प्रभासतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; प्रभास + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• विख्यातम्: renowned
• विख्यातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विख्यात (कृदन्त; √ख्या (धातु) + क्त, वि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; 'renowned')

• ततः: than that; then
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (sequential adverb)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (additive particle)

• शुभदम्: granting auspiciousness
• शुभदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ-द (प्रातिपदिक; शुभ + द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• सोमेश्वरस्य: of Someśvara
• सोमेश्वरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• पुरतः: in front of
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front of)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्नातः: having bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (कृदन्त; √स्ना (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; past participle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• गर्भभाक्: one who bears a womb/embryo; one who enters the womb (rebirth)
• गर्भभाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भ-भाज् (प्रातिपदिक; गर्भ + √भज् (धातु) → भाक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाक्-प्रत्ययान्त (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'partaker/possessor')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-tīrtha (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛṇām / addressed to people via the kingly interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ghat aligned to a shrine entrance: Someśvara temple façade ahead, with a bathing spot directly before it; pilgrims bathe and then walk dripping toward the Śiva shrine with lamps and bilva offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-tīrtha
• Someśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is expressed through mokṣa imagery: proximity to Śiva (Someśvara) and tīrtha-bathing ends rebirth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-tīrtha, described as famous and highly auspicious, situated before Someśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna at Prabhāsa-tīrtha in the presence of Someśvara; the result is stated as no further womb-entry (no rebirth).