Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

प्रणामात्पंचदश च स्नानाद्विंशतिं पूजया । शतं यथाप्रोक्तविधेरपराधानहं क्षमे

Transliteration

praṇāmātpaṃcadaśa ca snānādviṃśatiṃ pūjayā | śataṃ yathāproktavidheraparādhānahaṃ kṣame

Translation

For fifteen (offences) through prostration, for twenty through bathing, and for a hundred through worship—I forgive transgressions when the rite is performed as prescribed.

Word by Word

• प्रणामात्: from prostration/salutation
• प्रणामात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• पञ्चदश: fifteen
• पञ्चदश: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चदश (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (सामान्यतः) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्नानात्: from bathing
• स्नानात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• विंशतिम्: twenty
• विंशतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• पूजया: by worship
• पूजया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• शतम्: a hundred
• शतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

• यथा: as/according to
• यथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as/according to)

• प्रोक्त: said/declared
• प्रोक्त: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषे समासे पूर्वपदभावः (in compound)

• विधेः: of the rule/rite
• विधेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अपराधान्: offences
• अपराधान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपराध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• क्षमे: forgive
• क्षमे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षम (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Śiva (as Kumāreśvara, in the Kumārikākhaṇḍa narrative)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kumāra-kṣetra / Guptakṣetra (Kumāreśvara-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Guha (Skanda/Kumāra) and the assembled devas (contextual audience)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rudra, serene and compassionate, declares graded forgiveness: prostration removes a set of offences, bathing removes more, and worship removes the most—emphasizing prescribed rite and divine mercy.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Kumāreśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sincere acts of devotion—bowing, bathing, and worship—serve as powerful expiation when done according to scriptural method.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kumāreśvara-kṣetra, where the prescribed rites are said to remove offences.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Praṇāma, snāna, and pūjā performed in the proper (yathāprokta) manner as means of removing aparādhas.