Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

त्रिनेत्रा मत्स्यका यत्र जलं स्फटिकसन्निभम् । तत्र स्नात्वा नरो देवि मुच्यते ब्रह्महत्यया

Transliteration

trinetrā matsyakā yatra jalaṃ sphaṭikasannibham | tatra snātvā naro devi mucyate brahmahatyayā

Translation

ഹേ ദേവി, ത്രിനേത്രാ എന്ന മത്സ്യങ്ങൾ ഉള്ളിടത്ത് ജലം സ്ഫടികസമാനമായി നിർമ്മലമാണ്; അവിടെ സ്നാനം ചെയ്താൽ മനുഷ്യൻ ബ്രഹ്മഹത്യാപാപത്തിൽ നിന്ന് മോചിതനാകും.

Word by Word

• trinetrāḥ: three-eyed ones (a kind of fish)
• trinetrāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri-netra (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + नेत्र)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• matsyakāḥ: small fishes
• matsyakāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: matsyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; अपादान/सम्बन्धे (appositional with trinetrāḥ)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikarana (Relative location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• sphaṭikasannibham: like crystal; crystal-clear
• sphaṭikasannibham: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sphaṭika-sannibha (प्रातिपदिक; स्फटिक + सन्निभ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying jalam)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्थानवाचक (adverb: there)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriya (Prior action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bathed)

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); एकवचन

• devi: O goddess
• devi: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन (Vocative); एकवचन

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense)

• brahmahatyayā: from/with (the sin of) brahmin-slaying
• brahmahatyayā: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-hatyā (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्म + हत्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन; हेतौ (cause/means)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Trinetreśvara-tīrtha (with Trinetrā fish)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A clear, crystal-like pool at Prabhāsa with distinctive fish (Trinetrā) visible beneath the surface; a pilgrim steps into the water with folded hands, while a Śiva-liṅga shrine of Trinetreśvara stands nearby under coastal light.

Characters & Entities

• Trinetrā matsya
• snāna
• brahma-hatyā
• Ṛṣitīrtha (context)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s sanctity is depicted as capable of profound expiation, emphasizing purification through sacred waters and faith.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A crystal-water tīrtha associated with the Trinetrā fish, in the Ṛṣitīrtha/Trilocana locale of Prabhāsa Kṣetra.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform snāna (ritual bathing) at the tīrtha to gain release from brahma-hatyā.