Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचर्येण जागर्त्ति स पापैः संप्रमुच्यते । होमजाप्यसमाधिस्थो नृत्यगीतादिवादनैः

Transliteration

brahmacaryeṇa jāgartti sa pāpaiḥ saṃpramucyate | homajāpyasamādhistho nṛtyagītādivādanaiḥ

Translation

Quien guarda el brahmacarya y vela en la noche queda por completo liberado de los pecados. Permaneciendo en el homa, el japa y la absorción meditativa—y también mediante la danza, el canto y la música instrumental ofrecidos con devoción—alcanza el fruto purificador.

Word by Word

• brahmacaryeṇa: by celibacy/continence
• brahmacaryeṇa: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmacarya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (brahman + carya) — instrumental singular

• jāgartti: keeps vigil, stays awake
• jāgartti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jāgar (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद — present indicative, 3rd sg

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — nominative singular

• pāpaiḥ: from sins
• pāpaiḥ: Apādāna (Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — instrumental plural

• saṃpramucyate: is completely freed
• saṃpramucyate: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु) + sam-pra (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग — present passive, 3rd sg

• homa: homa
• homa: Upapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद — ‘oblation/ritual offering’

• jāpya: japa/recitation
• jāpya: Upapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāpya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद — ‘muttering/recitation (japa)’

• samādhi: samādhi
• samādhi: Upapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: samādhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद — ‘meditative absorption’

• sthaḥ: being engaged in
• sthaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √sthā (धातु) + stha (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्तिन्/प्रत्ययान्त ‘stha’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘homa-jāpya-samādhi-sthaḥ’ इति तत्पुरुषसमासः — ‘being engaged in’

• nṛtya: dance
• nṛtya: Upapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद — ‘dance’

• gīta: song
• gīta: Upapada (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद — ‘song’

• ādi: and the like
• ādi: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘etc.’ अर्थे — indicates inclusion of similar items

• vādanaiḥ: by instrumental music/playing
• vādanaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vādana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन — instrumental plural

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced from Prabhāsa Māhātmya narrative style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ikṣvākvīśvara (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Śiva night festival: devotees keep vigil with lamps; some sit in meditation near a homa fire; others sing and play vīṇā/mṛdaṅga while dancers perform as offering before the liṅga; all under a vow of brahmacarya.

Characters & Entities

• Ikṣvākvīśvara/Vṛṣabheśa Liṅga (context)
• Brahmacarya
• Homa
• Japa
• Samādhi

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity of conduct (brahmacarya) combined with devotional vigil and worship-practices is depicted as a powerful means of purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Liṅga-sanctuary within Prabhāsakṣetra, where vigil, worship, and devotional arts are performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Jāgaraṇa (night vigil) with brahmacarya, along with homa, japa, samādhi, and devotional dance/song/instrumental worship.