Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

शूद्राणामथ देवेशि मंत्रश्चाष्टाक्षरः स्मृतः । तत्र सोमेश्वरं गच्छेद्देवं पापहरं परम्

Transliteration

śūdrāṇāmatha deveśi maṃtraścāṣṭākṣaraḥ smṛtaḥ | tatra someśvaraṃ gaccheddevaṃ pāpaharaṃ param

Translation

O Göttin, für die Śūdras ist, wie überliefert, ein acht-silbiger Mantra vorgeschrieben. Danach soll man zu Lord Someśvara gehen, zur höchsten Gottheit, die die Sünde hinwegnimmt.

Word by Word

• शूद्राणाम्: of the Śūdras
• शूद्राणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th); बहुवचन (Plural)

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Discourse marker (अनुक्रम)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (sequence/then)

• देवेशि: O Goddess (Deveśī)
• देवेशि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative); एकवचन (Singular)

• मन्त्रः: the mantra
• मन्त्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अष्टाक्षरः: eight-syllabled
• अष्टाक्षरः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st); एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective) मन्त्रस्य

• स्मृतः: is said/remembered
• स्मृतः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) → स्मृत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा; एकवचन; विधेय (predicative)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adverbial (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• सोमेश्वरम्: Someśvara (Lord Soma)
• सोमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सोमस्य ईश्वरः)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपद

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd); एकवचन (Singular); apposition to सोमेश्वरम्

• पापहरम्: sin-removing
• पापहरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) देवम्; समासः—उपपद-तत्पुरुष (पापं हरति)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) देवम्

Speaker

Sūta (deduced); addressee within verse: Devī (Deveśī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Someśvara (Prabhāsa)

Type: temple

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (addressed as Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim community including humble devotees approaches Someśvara; a priest or elder indicates an eight-syllable mantra; the shrine radiates a ‘pāpa-hara’ aura with lamps, bilva leaves, and calm faces of supplicants.

Characters & Entities

• Deveśī (Devī)
• Someśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic path extends accessible mantra-practice and directs all devotees toward Śiva whose grace destroys sin.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Someśvara at Prabhāsakṣetra, praised as a pāpa-hara (sin-destroying) deity-site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Recitation of an aṣṭākṣara (eight-syllable) mantra and pilgrimage/darśana of Someśvara.