Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

न मे स्नानादिना कार्यं तर्प्पणैः किं प्रयोजनम् । जपहोमादिना सर्वमन्यथा मम चेष्टितम्

Transliteration

na me snānādinā kāryaṃ tarppaṇaiḥ kiṃ prayojanam | japahomādinā sarvamanyathā mama ceṣṭitam

Translation

എനിക്ക് സ്നാനാദി കർമ്മങ്ങൾക്ക് ആവശ്യമില്ല; തർപ്പണങ്ങൾ കൊണ്ട് എന്ത് പ്രയോജനം? ജപം, ഹോമം മുതലായ എല്ലാം എനിക്ക് വ്യർത്ഥമായി, ലക്ഷ്യത്തിന് വിരുദ്ധമായി ചെയ്തതുപോലെ ആയി.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• मे: for me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (enclitic); अत्र षष्ठी (मम) अर्थे

• स्नानादिना: by bathing and the like
• स्नानादिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; स्नान + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करणम्; समासः तत्पुरुषः (स्नानं च आदि च)

• कार्यम्: need, duty
• कार्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (अस्ति-लोपे)

• तर्पणैः: by libations/oblations
• तर्पणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तर्पण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; करणम्

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• प्रयोजनम्: purpose, use
• प्रयोजनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (अस्ति-लोपे)

• जपहोमादिना: by japa, homa, etc.
• जपहोमादिना: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप-होम-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; जप + होम + आदि)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करणम्; समासः द्वन्द्वः (जपः होमः) + आदि

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (अस्ति-लोपे)

• अन्यथा: otherwise, differently
• अन्यथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषणम्)

• मम: of me
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चेष्टितम्: (has been) acted/done
• चेष्टितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्ट् (धातु) → चेष्टित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'सर्वम्' इत्यस्य विशेष्य/विधेयभावः

Speaker

Nārada

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and the Naimiṣāraṇya ṛṣis (typical frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stern warrior-speaker dismisses peaceful rites; behind him, a liminal Prabhāsa landscape hints at a sacred shore while his words darken the mood—ritual vessels lie unused, replaced by weapons.

Characters & Entities

• Snāna
• Tarpaṇa
• Japa
• Homa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Rituals without the right inner disposition and purpose can feel fruitless; dharma requires both act and right intent.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is embedded in the Vastrāpathakṣetra Māhātmya (Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa), where sacred-place discourse often reframes ritual efficacy.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing), tarpaṇa (libations), japa (recitation), and homa (fire offering) are referenced—here questioned in their value when disconnected from true aim.