Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

महापापक्षयकरमगतीनांगतिप्रदम् । पूर्वपुण्यवशात्प्राप्तं प्रणमेद्गोमतीजलम्

Transliteration

mahāpāpakṣayakaramagatīnāṃgatipradam | pūrvapuṇyavaśātprāptaṃ praṇamedgomatījalam

Translation

Man soll sich vor den Wassern der Gomātī verneigen: Sie tilgen selbst große Sünden, schenken den Schutzlosen Zuflucht und werden nur kraft früherer Verdienste erlangt.

Word by Word

• mahā-pāpa-kṣaya-karam: destroyer of great sins
• mahā-pāpa-kṣaya-karam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā + pāpa + kṣaya + kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (mahāpāpānāṃ kṣayaṃ karoti = causing destruction of great sins) विशेषणम् (to gomatī-jalam)

• agatīnām: of the helpless (without refuge)
• agatīnām: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘अगतिः’ = one without refuge/way

• gati-pradam: giver of refuge
• gati-pradam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gati + prada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (gatiṃ pradadāti = giver of refuge/way)

• pūrva-puṇya-vaśāt: due to past merit
• pūrva-puṇya-vaśāt: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva + puṇya + vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः: तत्पुरुष (pūrvapuṇyasya vaśaḥ = power/influence of past merit)

• prāptam: obtained/attained
• prāptam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√āp (धातु) → prāpta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to gomatī-jalam)

• praṇamet: should bow to
• praṇamet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√nam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; उपसर्ग: pra-

• gomatī-jalam: the water of the Gomati
• gomatī-jalam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gomatī + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gomatyāḥ jalam = water of the Gomati)

Speaker

Narrative voice (contextual; preceding the sages’ inquiry)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomātī-jala (Dvārakā)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣis / dvija-śreṣṭhas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A destitute or sorrowful pilgrim bows to Gomātī; the river appears compassionate, almost maternal; Prahlāda’s words frame the scene as grace earned by former merit.

Characters & Entities

• Gomātī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places are approached through accumulated merit, and their grace provides refuge and purification beyond ordinary means.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gomātī-jala at Dvārakā, praised as a liberating and protective tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma to the Gomātī waters; the verse emphasizes devotional approach rather than a detailed rite.