Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

प्रकृष्टं सर्वयागेभ्यः प्रयागमिति गीयते । यज्वनां पुनरावृत्तिर्न प्रयागार्द्रवर्ष्मणाम्

Transliteration

prakṛṣṭaṃ sarvayāgebhyaḥ prayāgamiti gīyate | yajvanāṃ punarāvṛttirna prayāgārdravarṣmaṇām

Translation

Prayāga est célébré comme surpassant tous les sacrifices. Pour les sacrifiants dont le corps est humidifié par (le bain sacré à) Prayāga, il n’y a plus de retour au saṃsāra.

Word by Word

• प्रकृष्टम्: most excellent
• प्रकृष्टम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृष्ट (कृ धातु-निष्पन्न कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter nominative/accusative singular); विशेषणम्

• सर्वयागेभ्यः: from all sacrifices
• सर्वयागेभ्यः: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-याग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (ablative plural); समासः—कर्मधारय (सर्वे यागाः)

• प्रयागम्: Prayāga
• प्रयागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Discourse marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निगमनार्थक अव्यय (quotative particle)

• गीयते: is sung/celebrated
• गीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धाातु)
• Form: लट् लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (present indicative, 3rd sg, passive)

• यज्वनाम्: of sacrificers
• यज्वनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• पुनरावृत्तिः: return (rebirth/returning)
• पुनरावृत्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्-आवृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (nominative singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (पुनः आवृत्तिः)

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

• प्रयागार्द्रवर्ष्मणाम्: of those whose bodies are moistened (by bathing) at Prayāga
• प्रयागार्द्रवर्ष्मणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग-आर्द्र-वर्ष्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष (प्रयागे आर्द्रं वर्ष्म येषाम्—बहुपदसमास-प्रयोगः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prayāga (Triveṇī-saṅgama)

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the Triveṇī-saṅgama, pilgrims with wet garments emerge from the confluence; priests recite mantras; the river-gods are subtly suggested; the verse’s theme is the superiority of Prayāga over yajñas and the promise of non-return.

Characters & Entities

• Prayāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage and sacred bathing at Prayāga can transcend even great ritual sacrifices and is praised as a direct cause toward liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prayāga (Prayāgraj/Allahabad), famed for its confluence-tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (holy bathing) at Prayāga, implied by “bodies moistened” with its waters.