Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 119

Devanagari script

अर्घ्यं दद्याद्भाकरस्य सर्वपापप्रशांतये । प्रयागादिधिकं स्नानं दानं क्षेत्रात्कुरोरपि

Transliteration

arghyaṃ dadyādbhākarasya sarvapāpapraśāṃtaye | prayāgādidhikaṃ snānaṃ dānaṃ kṣetrātkurorapi

Translation

One should offer arghya to the Sun for the pacification of all sins. Bathing here is said to be superior even to Prayāga, and charity superior even to the sacred field of Kuru.

Word by Word

• अर्घ्यम्: arghya-offering (water oblation)
• अर्घ्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्घ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• दद्याद्: should give/offer
• दद्याद्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• भाकरस्य: of/for the Sun (Bhākara)
• भाकरस्य: Sampradana (Recipient—genitive usage/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• सर्व-पाप-प्रशांतये: for the pacification of all sins
• सर्व-पाप-प्रशांतये: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रशान्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वपापानां प्रशान्तिः)

• प्रयागात्: than Prayāga / from Prayāga
• प्रयागात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• अधिकम्: greater, superior
• अधिकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (snānam/dānam)

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दानम्: charitable giving
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• क्षेत्रात्: than a sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन

• कुरोः: of Kuru (Kurukṣetra)
• कुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced for Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahī–Sāgara-saṅgama

Type: sangam

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍunandana

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim stands knee-deep where river water turns brackish and meets the sea, lifting a cupped offering of water toward the rising Sun; behind, donors distribute gifts, while the confluence glows like molten gold.

Characters & Entities

• Bhāskara/Sūrya
• Arghya
• Prayāga
• Kuru-kṣetra
• Snāna
• Dāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion and repentance are expressed through simple offerings; at an exalted tīrtha, such acts are proclaimed immensely purifying.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Mahī–Sāgara Saṅgama, compared favorably against Prayāga and Kuru-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer arghya to the Sun; perform snāna and dāna at the confluence for heightened merit.