Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

दुर्ल्लभस्तत्र वासस्तु दुर्ल्लभं भवदर्शनम् । प्रेतत्वं नैव तस्यास्ति न याम्या नारकी व्यथा

Transliteration

durllabhastatra vāsastu durllabhaṃ bhavadarśanam | pretatvaṃ naiva tasyāsti na yāmyā nārakī vyathā

Translation

Rare indeed is dwelling there, and rare is the darśana of Bhava (Śiva). For one who attains it, there is no state of preta; no torment of Yama, nor the suffering of hell.

Word by Word

• दुर्लभः: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• वासः: dwelling, residence
• वासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• दुर्लभम्: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भवदर्शनम्: seeing Bhava (Śiva)
• भवदर्शनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—भवस्य दर्शनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रेतत्वम्: state of being a preta (ghost)
• प्रेतत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत + त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-तद्धित (त्व)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• तस्य: of him/of that person
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• याम्या: Yama-related
• याम्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (यमसम्बन्धिनी)

• नारकी: hellish
• नारकी: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (नरकसम्बन्धिनी)

• व्यथा: pain, torment
• व्यथा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यथा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha residence and Bhava-darśana

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative scene: a devotee receives Bhava’s darśana; behind, shadowy figures of preta and Yama’s attendants dissolve into light, indicating release from yāmya/nāraka torment; the kṣetra appears serene and protected.

Characters & Entities

• Bhava (Śiva)
• Yama
• Preta
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva’s darśana in a great kṣetra is portrayed as a safeguard that removes fear of post-death suffering and lower destinies.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha-kṣetra, where residence and Bhava-darśana are declared rare and supremely protective.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite beyond attaining Bhava-darśana (and implicitly living/sojourning there).