Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

स्नानखादनपानैश्च वोढृभ्यस्तीर्थसेवकः । ददत्सकलमाप्नोति फलं तीर्थसमुद्भवम्

Transliteration

snānakhādanapānaiśca voḍhṛbhyastīrthasevakaḥ | dadatsakalamāpnoti phalaṃ tīrthasamudbhavam

Translation

At the holy ford (tīrtha), the devoted attendant of the tīrtha—by providing bath, food, and drink to those who carry and travel—obtains in full the merit that arises from the tīrtha itself.

Word by Word

• स्नानखादनपानैः: by bathing, eating, and drinking (provisions)
• स्नानखादनपानैः: Karana (Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक) + खादन (प्रातिपदिक) + पान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (by baths, food, and drink)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• वोढृभ्यः: to the carriers/bearers
• वोढृभ्यः: Sampradana (Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वोढृ (√वह् धातोः कृत्-प्रत्यय: तृच्/तृ)
• Form: कृदन्त-कर्तृवाचक (agent noun: carrier/bearer); पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, बहुवचन (to/for the carriers)

• तीर्थसेवकः: the attendant of the tīrtha
• तीर्थसेवकः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + सेवक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तीर्थस्य सेवकः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (the tīrtha-attendant/servant)

• ददत्: giving
• ददत्: Karta (Subject participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु) + शतृ (कृत्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'giving' (agreeing with तीर्थसेवकः)

• सकलम्: entire; all
• सकलम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (entire/all)

• आप्नोति: attains
• आप्नोति: Kriya (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (he attains)

• फलम्: fruit; result
• फलम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तीर्थसमुद्भवम्: arising from the tīrtha
• तीर्थसमुद्भवम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भव (सम्-उद्-√भू + घञ्/अच्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: तीर्थात् समुद्भवम्/तीर्थसमुद्भवम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (arising from the tīrtha)

Speaker

Skanda (as narrator of Prabhāsa-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a Prabhāsa ghat, tīrtha-sevakas arrange bathing steps, distribute drinking water and meals to pilgrims and porters carrying loads; the act is portrayed as sacred offering equal to the tīrtha’s own grace.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa Kṣetra
• Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Service to pilgrims at a sacred site is itself a powerful form of dharma, yielding the tīrtha’s full merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra and its tīrthas, celebrated in the Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna in the form of practical hospitality—arranging bathing, food, and drink for travellers/pilgrims.