Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

गच्छ शीघ्रं महाभाग यावत्कायो न दह्यते

Transliteration

gaccha śīghraṃ mahābhāga yāvatkāyo na dahyate

Translation

Va vite, ô bienheureux, avant que le corps ne soit consumé par le feu des funérailles.

Word by Word

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• शीघ्रम्: quickly
• शीघ्रम्: Discourse (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभूत-नपुंसक-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative)

• महाभाग: O fortunate one
• महाभाग: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), पुल्लिङ्ग, एकवचन

• यावत्: until
• यावत्: Discourse (Temporal connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्तावदर्थे (until/as long as)

• कायः: the body
• कायः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• दह्यते: is burned
• दह्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Yama

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame, implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A messenger-like divine figure urges a fortunate pilgrim to depart immediately; the background hints at cremation fire and the distant sacred coast/temple silhouette of Prabhāsa.

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Human life is time-bound; one should hasten to fulfill dharma and spiritual duties before death’s finality closes the opportunity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse occurs in the Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya setting, which frames teachings meant to reform conduct in a sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It alludes to antyeṣṭi (cremation/funeral rites) by mentioning the body being burned, but gives no detailed prescription.