Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्पुनः कृतं पापं पैशाचनरकावहम् । भक्तानुकंपी भगवांस्तिर्यग्योनिगतेष्वपि

Transliteration

asminpunaḥ kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ paiśācanarakāvaham | bhaktānukaṃpī bhagavāṃstiryagyonigateṣvapi

Translation

But sin committed in this place leads to the hells of the Piśācas. Yet the Blessed Lord, compassionate to His devotees, shows mercy—even to those who have fallen into animal births.

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this (place)
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• पुनः: again/further
• पुनः: Discourse adverb (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• कृतम्: done/committed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पापम्)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• पैशाचनरकावहम्: bringing (one) to a piśāca-like hell
• पैशाचनरकावहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पैशाच (प्रातिपदिक) + नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + आवह (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; आ + वह् धातोः)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पैशाचं नरकं आवहति इति’ (bringing a demonic hell)

• भक्तानुकंपी: compassionate to devotees
• भक्तानुकंपी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुकम्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘भक्तानाम् अनुकम्पी’

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• तिर्यग्योनिगतेषु: among those who have gone to animal wombs
• तिर्यग्योनिगतेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिर्यक् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक) + गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; गम् धातोः)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), बहुवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष-श्रृङ्खला) ‘तिर्यग्योनौ गतेषु’

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-कार (inclusion particle)

Speaker

Śiva (addressing Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark contrast: shadowy Piśāca-naraka imagery at the edge of the sacred precinct for offenders; above, the compassionate Lord’s gaze extends a saving hand even to animals—deer, birds—symbolizing tiryag-yoni uplift.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Pārvatī
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Piśāca
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Holy places intensify moral accountability, yet divine compassion remains available through devotion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual; the verse warns against pāpa in the tīrtha and highlights bhakti as a refuge.