Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

स्नानं संध्या जपो होमस्तर्पणं पितृदेवयोः । नारदः कुरुते चान्यदन्यत्कुर्वंति ब्राह्मणाः

Transliteration

snānaṃ saṃdhyā japo homastarpaṇaṃ pitṛdevayoḥ | nāradaḥ kurute cānyadanyatkurvaṃti brāhmaṇāḥ

Translation

Le bain rituel, les prières du crépuscule (sandhyā), le japa, le homa et les offrandes de satisfaction (tarpaṇa) aux ancêtres et aux dieux : telles sont les observances des brāhmaṇas; mais Nārada accomplit autre chose.

Word by Word

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here Nominative singular (item in list)

• संध्या: sandhyā-prayer (twilight worship)
• संध्या: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (item in list)

• जपः: muttering; recitation
• जपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (item in list)

• होमः: fire-offering
• होमः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular (item in list)

• तर्पणम्: libation; satiatory offering
• तर्पणम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; Nominative singular (item in list)

• पितृदेवयोः: of the ancestors and the gods
• पितृदेवयोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (पितरौ च देवौ च) → ‘of the Pitṛs and the Devas’

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• कुरुते: does; performs
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative 3rd sg

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

• अन्यत्: something else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; here Accusative singular (object of कुरुते)

• अन्यत्: something else
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; Accusative singular (object)

• कुर्वन्ति: do; perform
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative 3rd pl

• ब्राह्मणाः: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual: a ṛṣi/elder addressing Nārada)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya sages (standard frame) or a local interlocutor within the khanda; immediate addressee in nearby verses includes 'Devi' (a goddess) indicating an embedded dialogue layer

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ritual tableau: brāhmaṇas performing snāna and sandhyā at a sacred shore while Nārada, distinct from the crowd, prepares for a different, special observance.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Pitṛs
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Regular nitya-karmas—sandhyā, japa, homa, and tarpaṇa—anchor spiritual life; neglecting them leads to deviation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, linking dharmic routine to the sanctified atmosphere of Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna, sandhyā, japa, homa, and tarpaṇa to pitṛs and devas are explicitly listed as brāhmaṇa duties.