Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

त्रिनेत्रा मत्स्यका यत्र जलं स्फटिकसन्निभम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो देवि मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया

Transliteration

trinetrā matsyakā yatra jalaṃ sphaṭikasannibham | tatra snātvā naro devi mucyate brahmahatyayā

Translation

يا دِيفِي، حيث توجد أسماك تُدعى «تْرِنِتْرَا» ويكون الماء شبيهاً بالبلّور صفاءً، فإنّ من اغتسل هناك يَتَحَرَّر من إثم «بْرَهْمَهَ هَتْيَا»؛ أي قتل البراهمن.

Word by Word

• trinetrāḥ: three-eyed ones (a kind of fish)
• trinetrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-netra (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + नेत्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• matsyakāḥ: small fishes
• matsyakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: matsyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; अपादान/सम्बन्धे (appositional with trinetrāḥ)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Relative location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• sphaṭikasannibham: like crystal; crystal-clear
• sphaṭikasannibham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphaṭika-sannibha (प्रातिपदिक; स्फटिक + सन्निभ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying jalam)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (adverb: there)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bathed)

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative); एकवचन

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

• brahmahatyayā: from/with (the sin of) brahmin-slaying
• brahmahatyayā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-hatyā (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्म + हत्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन; हेतौ (cause/means)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Trinetreśvara-tīrtha (with Trinetrā fish)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A clear, crystal-like pool at Prabhāsa with distinctive fish (Trinetrā) visible beneath the surface; a pilgrim steps into the water with folded hands, while a Śiva-liṅga shrine of Trinetreśvara stands nearby under coastal light.

Characters & Entities

• Trinetrā matsya
• snāna
• brahma-hatyā
• Ṛṣitīrtha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s sanctity is depicted as capable of profound expiation, emphasizing purification through sacred waters and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A crystal-water tīrtha associated with the Trinetrā fish, in the Ṛṣitīrtha/Trilocana locale of Prabhāsa Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform snāna (ritual bathing) at the tīrtha to gain release from brahma-hatyā.