Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

अपि कीटपतंगा ये पक्षिणः पशवो मृगाः । तृषार्ता जलसंस्पर्शाद्यास्यंति परमां गतिम्

Transliteration

api kīṭapataṃgā ye pakṣiṇaḥ paśavo mṛgāḥ | tṛṣārtā jalasaṃsparśādyāsyaṃti paramāṃ gatim

Translation

Même les insectes et les papillons de nuit, les oiseaux, le bétail et les bêtes sauvages—tourmentés par la soif—par le seul contact de cette eau atteindront l’état suprême.

Word by Word

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/समुच्चय ‘even/also’)

• कीटपतंगाः: insects and flying bugs
• कीटपतंगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीट + पतंग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (insects and moths/flies)

• ये: who (those which)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सापेक्ष-सर्वनाम

• पक्षिणः: birds
• पक्षिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पशवः: animals, beasts
• पशवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मृगाः: deer (wild animals)
• मृगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तृषार्ताः: tormented by thirst
• तृषार्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृषा + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (afflicted by thirst)

• जलसंस्पर्शात्: from contact with water
• जलसंस्पर्शात्: Apadana (Ablative source/cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + संस्पर्श (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादान (cause/source: from water-contact)

• यास्यन्ति: will go, will attain
• यास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• परमाम्: supreme
• परमाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गतिम्: state, destination
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (goal)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic narrative voice within the Māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa tīrtha-jala

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A drought-weary scene: animals and birds gather at a sacred water-edge; insects hover; as they touch the water, a subtle radiance rises, suggesting purification and ascent; pilgrims watch with awe.

Characters & Entities

• Jala (tīrtha-water)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A supremely holy place radiates grace so widely that even accidental contact can uplift living beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The water of the Devikā-taṭa/Mūlasthāna tīrtha within Prabhāsa Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it declares the extraordinary sanctity of the tīrtha-water itself.