Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

यस्यां स्नात्वा दिवं यांति अतिपापकृतो नराः । माघमासे विशेषेण मकरस्थे दिवाकरे

Transliteration

yasyāṃ snātvā divaṃ yāṃti atipāpakṛto narāḥ | māghamāse viśeṣeṇa makarasthe divākare

Translation

ആ ഗോമതിയിൽ സ്നാനം ചെയ്താൽ മഹാപാപികളായ മനുഷ്യരും സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നു—വിശേഷിച്ച് മാഘമാസത്തിൽ, സൂര്യൻ മകരരാശിയിൽ ഇരിക്കുമ്പോൾ।

Word by Word

• यस्याम्: in which (river/place)
• यस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Feminine, Locative, Singular; सम्बन्धे ‘यस्याम् (नद्याम्/तीर्थे)’

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund) — having bathed

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present, 3rd person, Plural

• अति-पाप-कृतः: those who have committed great sins
• अति-पाप-कृतः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘कृत’; अति-पापं कृतवन्तः (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव)

• नराः: men; people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• माघ-मासे: in the month of Māgha
• माघ-मासे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: माघस्य मासः

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणत्वेन (adverbial instrumental)

• मकर-स्थे: when (the sun) is in Capricorn
• मकर-स्थे: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मकर (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: मकरे स्थिते (दिवाकरे)

• दिवाकरे: when the sun (is)
• दिवाकरे: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

Narratorial voice (contextual Purāṇic narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gomatī-tīrtha (as referenced)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims at a sacred riverbank in Māgha: dawn light, the Sun entering Makara, devotees immersing with folded hands; subtle celestial imagery indicating svarga-gati.

Characters & Entities

• Gomatī
• Sūrya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrtha-dharma teaches that sincere bathing at a powerful river-tīrtha, especially in sacred time (Māgha/Makara), functions as profound purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Gomatī river-tīrtha established in the Arbuda setting, praised for its exceptional purificatory power.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna in the tīrtha—particularly during Māgha month when the Sun is in Makara (Capricorn), i.e., the Makara-saṅkrānti season.