Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

वस्त्रापथे महाक्षेत्रे भवं सोमेश्वरं वृथा । पूजयंति जना नित्यं तथा कार्यं मया धुवम्

Transliteration

vastrāpathe mahākṣetre bhavaṃ someśvaraṃ vṛthā | pūjayaṃti janā nityaṃ tathā kāryaṃ mayā dhuvam

Translation

വസ്ത്രാപഥ മഹാക്ഷേത്രത്തിൽ ജനങ്ങൾ നിത്യവും ഭവസ്വരൂപനായ സോമേശ്വരനെ പൂജിക്കുന്നു; എന്നാൽ യഥാർത്ഥ ബോധമില്ലാതെ അത് വ്യർത്ഥമാകുന്നു. അതിനാൽ ഈ കര്‍മ്മം ഞാൻ നിശ്ചയമായി സമ്യകമായി ചെയ്യേണ്ടതാണ്.

Word by Word

• वस्त्रापथे: in Vastrāpatha
• वस्त्रापथे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वस्त्रापथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वस्त्राणां पथः/वस्त्रस्य पथः)

• महाक्षेत्रे: in the great sacred field
• महाक्षेत्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाक्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महत् क्षेत्रम्)

• भवम्: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सोमेश्वरम्: Someśvara
• सोमेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोमेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सोमस्य ईश्वरः)

• वृथा: in vain/without purpose
• वृथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पूजयन्ति: they worship
• पूजयन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• कार्यम्: (it is) to be done/duty
• कार्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र विधेय (predicate)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उभयलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ध्रुवम्: certainly
• ध्रुवम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ध्रुव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; निश्चयार्थक क्रियाविशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (narration; presenting Vāmana’s thought)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha Mahākṣetra (Someśvara/Bhava-sthāna)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim-observer in Vastrāpatha sees crowds offering daily worship at a Someśvara liṅga; he resolves to perform the worship correctly, with focused gaze and ritual implements arranged in order.

Characters & Entities

• Vastrāpatha
• Bhava (Śiva)
• Someśvara (Śiva)
• Vāmana (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual gains true fruit when performed with right understanding and intent; mere routine worship can become ‘vṛthā’ if devoid of inner dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vastrāpatha mahākṣetra, especially the worship of Bhava/Someśvara (Śiva) practiced there daily.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Daily pūjā of Someśvara is referenced; the verse stresses performing it ‘properly’ (with meaningful intent) rather than mechanically.