Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

प्रभासतीर्थं विख्यातं ततोपि शुभदं नृणाम् । सोमेश्वरस्य पुरतस्तत्र स्नातो न गर्भभाक्

Transliteration

prabhāsatīrthaṃ vikhyātaṃ tatopi śubhadaṃ nṛṇām | someśvarasya puratastatra snāto na garbhabhāk

Translation

ನಂತರ ಪ್ರಸಿದ್ಧ ಪ್ರಭಾಸತೀರ್ಥವಿದೆ; ಅದು ಜನರಿಗೆ ಇನ್ನೂ ಶುಭಕರ. ಸೋಮೇಶ್ವರನ ಮುಂದೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ನಾನ ಮಾಡಿದವನು ಮತ್ತೆ ಗರ್ಭಭಾಕ್ (ಪುನರ್ಜನ್ಮ) ಆಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

• प्रभासतीर्थम्: the Prabhāsa tīrtha
• प्रभासतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; प्रभास + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• विख्यातम्: renowned
• विख्यातम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विख्यात (कृदन्त; √ख्या (धातु) + क्त, वि-उपसर्ग)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular; 'renowned')

• ततः: than that; then
• ततः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रमवाचक-अव्यय (sequential adverb)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (additive particle)

• शुभदम्: granting auspiciousness
• शुभदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ-द (प्रातिपदिक; शुभ + द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc., Singular)

• नृणाम्: of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural)

• सोमेश्वरस्य: of Someśvara
• सोमेश्वरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; सोम + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Singular)

• पुरतः: in front of
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front of)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: स्थानवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्नातः: having bathed
• स्नातः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नात (कृदन्त; √स्ना (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; past participle)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• गर्भभाक्: one who bears a womb/embryo; one who enters the womb (rebirth)
• गर्भभाक्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भ-भाज् (प्रातिपदिक; गर्भ + √भज् (धातु) → भाक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाक्-प्रत्ययान्त (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'partaker/possessor')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-tīrtha (Kāśī)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: nṛṇām / addressed to people via the kingly interlocutor

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A ghat aligned to a shrine entrance: Someśvara temple façade ahead, with a bathing spot directly before it; pilgrims bathe and then walk dripping toward the Śiva shrine with lamps and bilva offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Prabhāsa-tīrtha
• Someśvara
• Kāśī (Vārāṇasī)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s sanctity is expressed through mokṣa imagery: proximity to Śiva (Someśvara) and tīrtha-bathing ends rebirth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-tīrtha, described as famous and highly auspicious, situated before Someśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna at Prabhāsa-tīrtha in the presence of Someśvara; the result is stated as no further womb-entry (no rebirth).