Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कृमिकीटपतंगानां तिरश्चामपि मोक्षदम् । यत्र कूपादितोयेषु जलं सारस्वतं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

kṛmikīṭapataṃgānāṃ tiraścāmapi mokṣadam | yatra kūpāditoyeṣu jalaṃ sārasvataṃ smṛtam

Translation

ഇത് കൃമി, കീടം, പതംഗം മുതലായവർക്കും മറ്റു തിര്യക് ജീവികൾക്കും പോലും മോക്ഷം നൽകുന്നു. അവിടെ കിണർ മുതലായ ജലസ്രോതസ്സുകളിലെ വെള്ളം ‘സാരസ്വത’ (സരസ്വതീസമ പവിത്രം) എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• kṛmi: worms
• kṛmi: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग (member in compound)

• kīṭa: insects
• kīṭa: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग

• pataṃgānām: of worms, insects, and flying creatures
• pataṃgānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pataṃga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (kṛmi+kīṭa+pataṃga)

• tiraścām: of animals
• tiraścām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tiraśc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘तिर्यग्जाति’ (animals)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/समुच्चय (particle): ‘also/even’

• mokṣadam: granting liberation
• mokṣadam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mokṣada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (mokṣa+da)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्बन्ध-देशवाचक (relative locative adverb): ‘where’

• kūpa: well
• kūpa: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• ādi: and the like
• ādi: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय, ‘आदि’ (etc./beginning with) as compound member

• toyeṣu: in waters (of wells etc.)
• toyeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (kūpa+ādi+toya)

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

• sārasvatam: Sarasvatī-related/sacred
• sārasvatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sārasvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying jalam)

• smṛtam: is considered/called
• smṛtam: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त) → smṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘(is) called/considered’

Speaker

Śiva (to Devī/Umā, inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sārasvata-jala sources (kūpa-ādi-toya) within Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Umā (addressed as devi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred well within Prabhāsa; pilgrims draw water reverently. Tiny creatures—worms, insects, birds—are shown protected and bathed in the aura of liberation; the water shines with Sarasvatī-like purity.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devī
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Sārasvata-jala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true kṣetra’s grace is universal—its sanctity uplifts not only humans but all living beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, especially its sacred waters described as Sārasvata.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied tīrtha-snānā: reverent use of the sacred waters (from wells and other sources) for purification.