Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अज्ञानभावाद्देवेशो नूनं चात्रार्चितः ।शिवः । तस्मात्कर्मफलं प्राप्तमन्त्यजत्वं द्विजन्मना

Transliteration

ajñānabhāvāddeveśo nūnaṃ cātrārcitaḥ |śivaḥ | tasmātkarmaphalaṃ prāptamantyajatvaṃ dvijanmanā

Translation

അജ്ഞാനഭാവത്താൽ ഇവിടെ ദേവേശനായ ശിവനെ (വിധിപൂർവമല്ലാതെ) ആരാധിച്ചു; അതിനാൽ ആ കർമ്മഫലമായി ഒരു ദ്വിജൻ അന്ത്യജസ്ഥിതി പ്രാപിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• अज्ञानभावात्: from the state of ignorance
• अज्ञानभावात्: Apadana (Source/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान-भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अज्ञानस्य भावः) — Masculine, Ablative (5th), Singular

• देवेशः: the Lord of gods
• देवेशः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् ईशः) — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable; adverb of certainty

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction) — Indeclinable; conjunction

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable; locative adverb

• अर्चितः: was worshipped
• अर्चितः: Karma (Patient; in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘पूजितः’ — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति निपातवत् (हेतौ/तस्मादर्थे) — Indeclinable-like usage meaning ‘therefore/from that’

• कर्मफलम्: the fruit of action
• कर्मफलम्: Karma (Object/Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म-फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः फलम्) — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• प्राप्तम्: obtained
• प्राप्तम्: Karma (Result predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तम्’ = obtained/attained — Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• अन्त्यजत्वम्: the state of being an outcaste
• अन्त्यजत्वम्: Karma (Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्यज-त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; abstract noun

• द्विजन्मना: by the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजन्मना: Karana (Agent/Means; in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the karmic explanation) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gupta-liṅga within Prabhāsa (unnamed)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame implied; not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arundhatī, now solemn, narrates an inner vision: a dvija performing flawed worship before the liṅga; the scene fades into an image of social downfall, conveying karmic retribution.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Karma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma emphasizes right understanding and right practice; ignorance in worship can yield painful karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as the setting where worship and its karmic results are revealed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is detailed; the verse highlights the necessity of proper, informed worship (arcana).