Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

प्रकृष्टं सर्वयागेभ्यः प्रयागमिति गीयते । यज्वनां पुनरावृत्तिर्न प्रयागार्द्रवर्ष्मणाम्

Transliteration

prakṛṣṭaṃ sarvayāgebhyaḥ prayāgamiti gīyate | yajvanāṃ punarāvṛttirna prayāgārdravarṣmaṇām

Translation

Prayāga is praised as surpassing all sacrifices. For those sacrificers whose bodies are moistened by (the holy bath at) Prayāga, there is no return again to saṃsāra.

Word by Word

• प्रकृष्टम्: most excellent
• प्रकृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृष्ट (कृ धातु-निष्पन्न कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter nominative/accusative singular); विशेषणम्

• सर्वयागेभ्यः: from all sacrifices
• सर्वयागेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (ablative plural); समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्वे यागाः)

• प्रयागम्: Prayāga
• प्रयागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• गीयते: is sung/celebrated
• गीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धाातु)
• Form: लट् लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (present indicative, 3rd sg, passive)

• यज्वनाम्: of sacrificers
• यज्वनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• पुनरावृत्तिः: return (rebirth/returning)
• पुनरावृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्-आवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (nominative singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (पुनः आवृत्तिः)

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

• प्रयागार्द्रवर्ष्मणाम्: of those whose bodies are moistened (by bathing) at Prayāga
• प्रयागार्द्रवर्ष्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग-आर्द्र-वर्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रयागे आर्द्रं वर्ष्म येषाम्—बहुपदसमास-प्रयोगः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prayāga (Triveṇī-saṅgama)

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the Triveṇī-saṅgama, pilgrims with wet garments emerge from the confluence; priests recite mantras; the river-gods are subtly suggested; the verse’s theme is the superiority of Prayāga over yajñas and the promise of non-return.

Characters & Entities

• Prayāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage and sacred bathing at Prayāga can transcend even great ritual sacrifices and is praised as a direct cause toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prayāga (Prayāgraj/Allahabad), famed for its confluence-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (holy bathing) at Prayāga, implied by “bodies moistened” with its waters.