Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा पश्चिमतः कुण्डे पुष्करे पापतस्करे । यत्र ब्रह्माऽयजत्पूर्वं यज्ञैर्विपुलदक्षिणैः

Transliteration

snātvā paścimataḥ kuṇḍe puṣkare pāpataskare | yatra brahmā'yajatpūrvaṃ yajñairvipuladakṣiṇaiḥ

Translation

പശ്ചിമഭാഗത്തെ കുണ്ഡത്തിൽ—പാപങ്ങളെ കവർന്നെടുക്കുന്ന പുഷ്കര തീർത്ഥത്തിൽ—സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത്, അവിടെ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് പൂർവ്വകാലത്ത് സമൃദ്ധ ദക്ഷിണയോടുകൂടി യജ്ഞങ്ങൾ അനുഷ്ഠിച്ച സ്ഥലത്ത്.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• पश्चिमतः: from the west (side)
• पश्चिमतः: Adverbial (देश/दिक्-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पश्चिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक-तसिल् (ablatival adverb: 'from the west/westward side')

• कुण्डे: in the pond
• कुण्डे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• पुष्करे: in Puṣkara
• पुष्करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विशेष्य-स्थाननाम

• पापतस्करे: (in the) sin-stealing (pond)
• पापतस्करे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप + तस्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पापानां तस्करः = 'stealer of sins'); कुण्डस्य विशेषणम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्ध-देशवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अयजत्: performed sacrifice/worshipped
• अयजत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/past/लङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Adverbial (काल-क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्वम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (formerly)

• यज्ञैः: with sacrifices
• यज्ञैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; साधन/प्रकार

• विपुलदक्षिणैः: with abundant fees (dakṣiṇās)
• विपुलदक्षिणैः: Karana (Instrument/means/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल + दक्षिणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (दक्षिणा), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (विपुलाः दक्षिणाः यस्मिन्/यैः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣkara-kunda (paścimataḥ kuṇḍe)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the western side of the kṣetra lies a clear kunda named Puṣkara; pilgrims descend steps to bathe. In a visionary overlay, Brahmā is seen performing a grand yajña nearby, priests chanting, fire blazing, and heaps of dakṣiṇā being distributed.

Characters & Entities

• Puṣkara
• Kuṇḍa (western pond)
• Brahmā
• Yajña
• Dakṣiṇā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Snāna at a praised tīrtha, sanctified by Brahmā’s yajñas, is presented as a direct means of purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara (the western kuṇḍa) within the Prabhāsa Kṣetra māhātmya framework.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna in the western kuṇḍa at Puṣkara; remembrance of Brahmā’s yajña tradition with generous dakṣiṇā.