Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 38

Devanagari script

चण्डालः श्वपचो वापि तिर्यग्योनिगतोऽपि वा । प्राणत्यागे कृते तस्मिन्नाच्युतं लोकमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

caṇḍālaḥ śvapaco vāpi tiryagyonigato'pi vā | prāṇatyāge kṛte tasminnācyutaṃ lokamāpnuyāt

Translation

Ob er ein Caṇḍāla ist, ein Hundekocher, oder gar in einem Tierleib geboren—gibt er dort sein Leben auf, so gelangt er in die unvergängliche Welt Acyutas (Viṣṇus).

Word by Word

• चण्डालः: a caṇḍāla (outcaste)
• चण्डालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caṇḍāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• श्वपचः: a dog-cooker (lowest caste)
• श्वपचः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śva-paca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः ‘श्वानं पचति’ (dog-cooker)

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• तिर्यग्योनिगतः: one who has gone to an animal birth
• तिर्यग्योनिगतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tiryak-yoni + gata (प्रातिपदिक; √gam + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः ‘तिर्यग्योनिं गतः’

• अपि: even
• अपि: Emphasis/Addition
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय

• वा: or
• वा: Connector (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय

• प्राणत्यागे: at the time of giving up life
• प्राणत्यागे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa-tyāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘प्राणानां त्यागः’

• कृते: when (it is) done/when it occurs
• कृते: Kriya-viseshana (Locative absolute)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘कृते’ = ‘when done/when occurred’ (locative absolute with प्राणत्यागे)

• तस्मिन्: in that (place/condition)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम

• अच्युतम्: Acyuta (Viṣṇu)
• अच्युतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विष्णोः नाम

• लोकम्: world, realm
• लोकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: āp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Sūta (deduced: Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa narration commonly via Sūta to sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A compassionate vision: beings of varied conditions—outcaste, hunter, and even an animal—approach the sacred precinct; a luminous path rises from Prabhāsa toward Acyuta’s realm, emphasizing grace beyond social boundaries.

Characters & Entities

• Acyuta (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of Prabhāsa is portrayed as so great that even those of the lowest birth can attain Viṣṇu’s realm by dying there.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra (Prabhāsa), praised as a powerful sacred geography associated with Viṣṇu (Acyuta).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No ritual is prescribed here; the verse emphasizes the salvific power of leaving the body in that sacred kṣetra.