Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा तत्र शुचिर्भूत्वा त्वथ संतर्पयेत्पितॄन् । अश्वमेधमवाप्नोति सर्वपापविवर्जितः

Transliteration

snātvā tatra śucirbhūtvā tvatha saṃtarpayetpitṝn | aśvamedhamavāpnoti sarvapāpavivarjitaḥ

Translation

S’étant baigné là et devenu pur, si l’on offre ensuite satisfaction aux Pitṛs (ancêtres), on obtient le mérite d’un Aśvamedha et l’on est délivré de tous les péchés.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: स्ना; अर्थे: पूर्वक्रिया (having bathed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• शुचिः: pure
• शुचिः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriya-visheshaṇa (Adverbial participle/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), धातु: भू; अर्थे: पूर्वक्रिया (having become)

• तु: then/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle; emphasis/contrast)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (sequencing particle)

• संतर्पयेत्: should satisfy/offer (oblations)
• संतर्पयेत्: Kriya (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+तृप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: सम्+तृप् (to satisfy/offer oblations)

• पितॄन्: the ancestors (pitṛs)
• पितॄन्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• अश्वमेधम्: the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice merit)
• अश्वमेधम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व + मेध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष: अश्वस्य मेधः (horse-sacrifice)

• अवाप्नोति: obtains
• अवाप्नोति: Kriya (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव+आप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: अव+आप् (to obtain)

• सर्वपापविवर्जितः: free from all sins
• सर्वपापविवर्जितः: Kartṛ (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + वि+वर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण; समास: सर्वपापैः विवर्जितः (free from all sins)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Tritakūpa

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Deveśi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim bathing in a sacred kund, then standing on the bank offering tarpaṇa with cupped hands; subtle presence of pitṛs as translucent ancestral figures receiving offerings; purity and calm dominate.

Characters & Entities

• Tritakūpa
• Pitṛs
• snāna
• tarpana
• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha-practice unites purification and gratitude: bathing and honoring ancestors at a sanctified site yields immense merit and moral cleansing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tritakūpa tīrtha in Prabhāsakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) at the tīrtha followed by pitṛ-tarpaṇa (offerings to ancestors).