Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

निर्मुक्तः सर्वपापेभ्यो मध्यभागे वसेत्तु यः । हिमवंतं परित्यज्य पर्वतं गंधमादनम्

Transliteration

nirmuktaḥ sarvapāpebhyo madhyabhāge vasettu yaḥ | himavaṃtaṃ parityajya parvataṃ gaṃdhamādanam

Translation

Quiconque demeure dans la région médiane est délivré de tous les péchés. Pour un tel être, même en abandonnant l’Himālaya et la montagne Gandhamādana—

Word by Word

• निर्मुक्तः: freed/released
• निर्मुक्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + मुच् (धातु) → निर्मुक्त (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle) विशेषणरूपेण; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (यः) इति कर्तरि

• सर्वपापेभ्यः: from all sins
• सर्वपापेभ्यः: Apādāna (Source/Separation/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वाणि पापानि)

• मध्यभागे: in the middle portion
• मध्यभागे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मध्यस्य भागः)

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle)

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यत् (relative pronoun)

• हिमवन्तम्: Himavat (the Himalaya)
• हिमवन्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Kriyā (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + त्यज् (धातु) → परित्यज्य (कृदन्त, ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; 'having abandoned'

• पर्वतम्: mountain
• पर्वतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गन्धमादनम्: Gandhamādana (mountain)
• गन्धमादनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + मादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (गन्धान् मादयति/गन्धेन मादनः इति नामधेय)

Speaker

Śiva (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (Madhya-bhāga)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Varānanā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim dwelling within Prabhāsa’s central precinct is bathed in a halo of purification; in the distance, majestic Himalaya and Gandhamādana appear as relinquished alternatives, fading like mirages.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-kṣetra (middle portion)
• Himālaya
• Gandhamādana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Not only visiting but dwelling with discipline in Prabhāsa’s sacred center is presented as a direct means to complete purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘middle portion’ (madhyabhāga) of Prabhāsa-kṣetra is singled out for sin-destroying residence.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Residence (vāsa) in the central region is recommended as spiritually efficacious; no separate rite is specified here.