Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 36

Devanagari script

यथा पापानि धूयंते गंगावारिविगाहनात् । तथा पुराणश्रवणाद्दुरितानां विना शनम्

Transliteration

yathā pāpāni dhūyaṃte gaṃgāvārivigāhanāt | tathā purāṇaśravaṇādduritānāṃ vinā śanam

Translation

De même que les péchés sont lavés en se plongeant dans les eaux du Gaṅgā, de même, par l’écoute du Purāṇa, les actes mauvais sont détruits peu à peu.

Word by Word

• yathā: just as
• yathā: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb): as/just as

• pāpāni: sins
• pāpāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन

• dhūyante: are washed away
• dhūyante: Kriyā (Main action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhū (धू)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे—‘are washed off’

• gaṅgā-vāri-vigāhanāt: from bathing/immersion in Gaṅgā water
• gaṅgā-vāri-vigāhanāt: Apādāna (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṅgā (प्रातिपदिक) + vāri (प्रातिपदिक) + vigāhana (प्रातिपदिक, from vi+√gāh)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (गङ्गायाः वारिणि विगाहनम्)

• tathā: so likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (Correlation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (correlative adverb): so/in the same way

• purāṇa-śravaṇāt: from hearing the Purāṇa
• purāṇa-śravaṇāt: Apādāna (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + śravaṇa (प्रातिपदिक, from √śru)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुराणस्य श्रवणम्)

• duritānām: of misdeeds
• duritānām: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: durita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• vinā: without; (i.e., removal of)
• vinā: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition): without/except; अपादानार्थक

• śanam: gradually
• śanam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śanaiḥ/śanam (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): शनैः = gradually/slowly

Speaker

Īśvara

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra (contextual) with Gaṅgā as comparison-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene assembly where a Purāṇa is recited; in the background the Gaṅgā is symbolically shown washing away dark stains, visually equating water-purification with sound-purification.

Characters & Entities

• Gaṅgā
• Purāṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Scriptural listening is itself a powerful purifier, comparable to the most celebrated sacred bath.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gaṅgā is referenced as the archetypal purifier, while the ongoing context glorifies Prabhāsa’s Vastrāpathakṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Purāṇa-śravaṇa (listening to Purāṇic recitation) is recommended as a means to destroy durita (misdeeds).