Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

तत्र तीर्थे सकृत्स्नानं रुद्रलोकप्रदं नृणाम् । पापदेहविशुद्धयर्थं पापेनोपहतात्मनाम्

Transliteration

tatra tīrthe sakṛtsnānaṃ rudralokapradaṃ nṛṇām | pāpadehaviśuddhayarthaṃ pāpenopahatātmanām

Translation

ആ തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ ഒരിക്കൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്താൽ മനുഷ്യർക്കു രുദ്രലോകപ്രാപ്തി ലഭിക്കും; പാപംകൊണ്ട് ബാധിച്ച ദേഹവും അന്തഃകരണവും ശുദ്ധിയാകുവാൻ ഇതാണ്।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb: there)

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Place/देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• सकृत्स्नानम्: a single bath
• सकृत्स्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय) + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभावः: सकृत्-स्नानम् = once-bathing

• रुद्रलोकप्रदम्: granting Rudra’s world
• रुद्रलोकप्रदम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुद्रलोक + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः: रुद्रलोकं प्रददाति इति

• नृणाम्: for/of men
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• पापदेहविशुद्ध्यर्थम्: for the purification of the sinful body
• पापदेहविशुद्ध्यर्थम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पाप + देह + विशुद्धि + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययभावे द्वितीया-एकवचनम् (purpose accusative): -अर्थम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: पापदेहस्य विशुद्ध्यर्थम्

• पापेन: by sin
• पापेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उपहतात्मनाम्: of those whose souls are afflicted
• उपहतात्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपहत + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गः, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः: उपहतः आत्मा येषाम् (those whose selves are afflicted)

Speaker

Bhūta (continued narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Govatsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims enter the sacred waters of Govatsa for a single, solemn bath; above, a subtle vision of Rudraloka/Śiva’s realm is suggested, indicating the promised fruit; the scene emphasizes purification of both body and mind.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha
• Rudra
• Rudraloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred bathing is presented as both moral purification and a Śaiva soteriological promise (attainment of Rudraloka).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter’s featured tīrtha (Govatsa region) where even one bath is said to yield Rudraloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sakṛt-snāna—bathing once at the tīrtha for purification and spiritual fruit.