Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

पंचगव्येन यो देवि स्नापयेद्वृषभेश्वरम् । स दहेत्सर्वपापानि सर्वयज्ञफलं लभेत्

Transliteration

paṃcagavyena yo devi snāpayedvṛṣabheśvaram | sa dahetsarvapāpāni sarvayajñaphalaṃ labhet

Translation

O Devī, whoever bathes Vṛṣabheśvara with pañcagavya burns away all sins and gains the fruit of all sacrifices (yajña).

Word by Word

• पञ्चगव्येन: with pañcagavya (five cow-products)
• पञ्चगव्येन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च + गव्य (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Instrumental singular); द्विगु-समास: पञ्चानां गव्यानां समाहारः (five cow-products)

• यः: whoever
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular; relative pronoun)

• देवि: O देवी
• देवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्नापयेत्: should bathe (cause to be bathed)
• स्नापयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त

• वृषभेश्वरम्: Vṛṣabheśvara
• वृषभेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषभ + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (correlative)

• दहेत्: would burn/destroy
• दहेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सर्वपापानि: all sins
• सर्वपापानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Accusative plural); कर्मधारय: सर्वाणि पापानि

• सर्वयज्ञफलम्: the fruit of all sacrifices
• सर्वयज्ञफलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + यज्ञ + फल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सर्वेषां यज्ञानां फलम्

• लभेत्: would obtain
• लभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Śiva (in dialogue with Devī/Pārvatī, inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vṛṣabheśvara (within Prabhāsakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee performs pañcagavya-abhiṣeka to a radiant Śiva-liṅga named Vṛṣabheśvara in Prabhāsa; attendants hold kalaśas, lamps, and bilva leaves; the sea-breeze and temple banners suggest the western coast.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣabheśvara
• Pañcagavya
• Yajña (sacrifices)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śaiva devotion at a great tīrtha can be equivalent to elaborate Vedic rites, emphasizing inner surrender expressed through sacred offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa Kṣetra’s Vṛṣabheśvara, praised as granting yajña-like merit through pañcagavya abhiṣeka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Abhiṣeka of Vṛṣabheśvara using pañcagavya, said to destroy sins and bestow the merit of all sacrifices.