Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

अकामतः कृते पापे प्रायश्चित्तं विदुर्बुधाः । कामकारकृतेऽप्याहुरेके श्रुतिनिदर्शनात्

Transliteration

akāmataḥ kṛte pāpe prāyaścittaṃ vidurbudhāḥ | kāmakārakṛte'pyāhureke śrutinidarśanāt

Translation

അജ്ഞാതമായി ചെയ്ത പാപത്തിന് പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം യുക്തമാണെന്ന് പണ്ഡിതർ അറിയുന്നു. ശ്രുതിയിലെ സൂചനകളെ ആധാരമാക്കി, ഉദ്ദേശപൂർവം ചെയ്ത കർമ്മത്തിനും ചിലർ പ്രായശ്ചിത്തം പറയുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अकामतः: unintentionally
• अकामतः: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: akāmataḥ (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): unintentionally

• कृते: when done/committed
• कृते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) ‘done’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; लोके: “in/when (it is) done”

• पापे: in a sin
• पापे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रायश्चित्तम्: expiation, penance
• प्रायश्चित्तम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (here: object of ‘know’ → द्वितीया)

• विदुः: know, declare
• विदुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• बुधाः: the wise (people)
• बुधाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: budha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कामकारकृते: in (a sin) done intentionally
• कामकारकृते: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāmakāra (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: कामकारेण कृतम् (done through desire/intent)

• अपि: also, even
• अपि: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): “also/even”

• आहुः: say, state
• आहुः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• एके: some (people)
• एके: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• श्रुतिनिदर्शनात्: from scriptural evidence
• श्रुतिनिदर्शनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + nidarśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: श्रुतेः निदर्शनम् (scriptural evidence)

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharma-sabhā setting: learned brāhmaṇas debate prāyaścitta, with palm-leaf texts and a pilgrim seeking guidance; in the background, the sea-coast of Prabhāsa and a distant Somnātha shrine silhouette.

Characters & Entities

• Śruti (Vedic testimony)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma weighs intention, yet scriptural traditions also debate and sometimes allow remedial paths even for intentional wrongdoing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The discussion is embedded in Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, where dharma-teachings support the sanctity of pilgrimage and reform.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Prāyaścitta is affirmed for unintentional sins, and is argued by some authorities to apply even to intentional acts based on śruti.