Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

सर्वपापविनाशाय देवता तोषणाय च । चातुर्मास्ये जलस्नानं सर्वपापक्षयावहम्

Transliteration

sarvapāpavināśāya devatā toṣaṇāya ca | cāturmāsye jalasnānaṃ sarvapāpakṣayāvaham

Translation

സകലപാപനാശത്തിനും ദേവതകളുടെ തൃപ്തിക്കുമായി ചാതുർമാസ്യത്തിൽ ജലസ്നാനം ചെയ്യണം; അത് എല്ലാ പാപങ്ങളെയും ക്ഷയിപ്പിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• सर्वपापविनाशाय: for the destruction of all sins
• सर्वपापविनाशाय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पाप + विनाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे दत्तिविभक्तिः (for the purpose of)

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• तोषणाय: for pleasing
• तोषणाय: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for pleasing)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• चातुर्मास्ये: in the Cāturmāsya period
• चातुर्मास्ये: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चातुर्मास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (locative of time)

• जलस्नानम्: bathing in water
• जलस्नानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल + स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• सर्वपापक्षयावहम्: bringing about the destruction of all sins
• सर्वपापक्षयावहम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + पाप + क्षय + आवह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying जलस्नानम्)

Speaker

Brahmā (in Brahma–Nārada dialogue; inferred from chapter colophon context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim audience within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa discourse

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Monsoon-season pilgrims bathe in a river/pond; clouds and softened light indicate Cāturmāsya; devas above appear satisfied as sin (darkness) dissolves into water.

Characters & Entities

• Devatāḥ
• Cāturmāsya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cāturmāsya bathing is celebrated as a powerful purifier that removes sin and aligns one with divine favor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter frames the teaching within Gaṅgā-water bathing merit, though the verse itself states the general Cāturmāsya practice.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform jalasnāna (water-bath) specifically during Cāturmāsya for pāpa-kṣaya and devatā-toṣaṇa.