Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

तद्दृष्ट्वा ब्रह्महा गोघ्नः स्तेयी च गुरुतल्पगः । शरणागतघाती च मित्रविश्रंभघातकः

Transliteration

taddṛṣṭvā brahmahā goghnaḥ steyī ca gurutalpagaḥ | śaraṇāgataghātī ca mitraviśraṃbhaghātakaḥ

Translation

Al contemplar esa presencia sagrada (el Liṅga), incluso el asesino de un brāhmaṇa, el matador de una vaca, el ladrón, quien viola el lecho del maestro, quien mata a quien busca refugio y quien traiciona a un amigo confiado—queda sacudido por su poder y se aparta del mal.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (liṅga/that sight)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): ‘having seen’

• ब्रह्महा: Brahmin-slayer
• ब्रह्महा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + हन् (प्रातिपदिक-निर्माण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ब्रह्मणः हन्ता (slayer of a Brahmin)

• गोघ्नः: cow-killer
• गोघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + हन् (प्रातिपदिक-निर्माण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: गवां हन्ता (cow-killer)

• स्तेयी: thief
• स्तेयी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेयिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (thief)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गुरुतल्पगः: violator of the guru’s bed
• गुरुतल्पगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु + तल्प + ग (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: गुरोः तल्पं गच्छति इति (one who violates the guru’s bed)

• शरणागतघाती: slayer of a refugee/suppliant
• शरणागतघाती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरणागत + घातिन् (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: शरणागतस्य घाती (slayer of one who has sought refuge)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• मित्रविश्रंभघातकः: betrayer of a friend’s trust
• मित्रविश्रंभघातकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित्र + विश्रंभ + घातक (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: मित्रस्य विश्रंभस्य (विश्वासस्य) घातकः (betrayer of a friend’s trust)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-liṅga darśana (Vṛṣabheśvara/Brahmeśvara context)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A line of remorseful sinners—marked by heavy burdens and dark auras—approach the radiant liṅga; as they behold it, their shadows lift and their faces soften; priests hold lamps, and the sanctum glows.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣabheśvara
• Kalpaliṅga
• Prabhāsakṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The sanctity of Prabhāsa and Śiva’s Liṅga is portrayed as so purifying that even the gravest sins lose their hold when one turns toward darśana with reverence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, with emphasis on Vṛṣabheśvara/Kalpaliṅga within the Ekādaśa-rudra sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse centers on darśana (beholding) as the catalytic act; subsequent verses specify liṅga-ārādhana (worship).