Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

वर्णानामश्रमाणां च पतितानां विशेषतः । महापापहरं प्रोक्तं महापुण्यविवर्द्धनं

Transliteration

varṇānāmaśramāṇāṃ ca patitānāṃ viśeṣataḥ | mahāpāpaharaṃ proktaṃ mahāpuṇyavivarddhanaṃ

Translation

Its greatness is declared to remove great sins and to increase great merit—for people of all varṇas and all āśramas, and especially for those who have fallen from right conduct.

Word by Word

• वर्णानाम्: of the social classes (varṇas)
• वर्णानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन — 'of the varṇas/classes'

• आश्रमाणाम्: of the life-stages (āśramas)
• आश्रमाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन — 'of the āśramas/stages'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• पतितानाम्: of the fallen (persons)
• पतितानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त; पत् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन — 'of the fallen/degenerate'

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• महापापहरम्: remover of great sins
• महापापहरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापापहर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + पाप + हर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — 'great-sin-removing' (predicate/attribute)

• प्रोक्तम्: declared (as)
• प्रोक्तम्: Karmaṇi-bhāva (Predicative/कर्मणि-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रोक्त (कृदन्त; प्र+वच् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — past passive participle; 'said/declared'

• महापुण्यविवर्द्धनम्: increaser of great merit
• महापुण्यविवर्द्धनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महापुण्यविवर्द्धन (प्रातिपदिक; महा + पुण्य + विवर्द्धन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन — 'great-merit-increasing'

Speaker

Prahlāda (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: munīśvarāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A diverse group—householders, ascetics, youths, elders, and repentant ‘fallen’ persons—approach Dvārakā’s temple and seashore with humility; the kṣetra’s light symbolically washes away darkness, signifying pāpa removal and puṇya increase.

Characters & Entities

• Dvārakā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma emphasizes compassionate accessibility: the kṣetra’s grace is available to all, even those seeking restoration after moral or ritual lapse.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā, acclaimed as universally beneficial across varṇa-āśrama and especially uplifting for the ‘patita’.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual is listed; the verse states the general fruit (phala): sin-removal and merit-increase.