Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

विमुक्ताः पितरो रौद्रान्नरकात्सुप्रहर्षिताः । ततो दिव्यविमानस्था दिव्यमाल्यांबरान्विताः

Transliteration

vimuktāḥ pitaro raudrānnarakātsupraharṣitāḥ | tato divyavimānasthā divyamālyāṃbarānvitāḥ

Translation

His forefathers were freed from the terrible hells, filled with great joy. Then they appeared, seated in divine aerial chariots, adorned with heavenly garlands and garments.

Word by Word

• विमुक्ताः: freed; released
• विमुक्ताः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विमुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √मुच्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पितरः’)

• पितरः: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• रौद्रात्: from the dreadful
• रौद्रात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• नरकात्: from hell
• नरकात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• सुप्रहर्षिताः: greatly delighted
• सुप्रहर्षिताः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-प्रहर्षित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सु + √हृष्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; उपसर्ग/उपपद ‘सु-’; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पितरः’)

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencing/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), तस्मात्/अनन्तरम् (thereupon)

• दिव्यविमानस्थाः: standing in a divine aerial car
• दिव्यविमानस्थाः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य-विमान-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्य + विमान + स्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘दिव्ये विमाने स्थाः’ इति सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषभावः; विशेषण (qualifying ‘पितरः’)

• दिव्यमाल्याम्बरान्विताः: adorned with divine garlands and garments
• दिव्यमाल्याम्बरान्विताः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य-माल्य-अम्बर-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; दिव्य + माल्य + अम्बर + अन्वित)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुषभावः (‘दिव्यैः माल्यैः अम्बरैश्च अन्विताः’); विशेषण

Speaker

Pulastya (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Nirmalodaka

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the sky above the reservoir, radiant ancestors appear seated in vimānas, wearing divine garlands and shining garments; their faces are joyful, freed from torment; the king looks up in awe.

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (forefathers)
• Naraka
• Vimāna

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha merit can extend beyond the individual, becoming a means of ancestral upliftment (pitṛ-śreyas).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Arbuda tīrtha where the king bathed (Nirmalodaka), demonstrated by its immediate pitṛ-phala.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The fruit of snāna is highlighted; the next verses connect it with jalatarpaṇa (water-offerings) as well.