Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

आदिक्षेत्रस्य माहात्म्यं रहस्यं पापनाशनम् । कथयिष्ये वरारोहे तव स्नेहेन भामिनि

Transliteration

ādikṣetrasya māhātmyaṃ rahasyaṃ pāpanāśanam | kathayiṣye varārohe tava snehena bhāmini

Translation

Wahai wanita mulia, kerana kasih sayangku kepadamu, akan kuceritakan kemuliaan wilayah suci yang mula-mula—rahsia yang memusnahkan dosa.

Word by Word

• आदिक्षेत्रस्य: of the primordial sacred place
• आदिक्षेत्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: आदौ स्थितं क्षेत्रम्

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• रहस्यम्: secret (mystery)
• रहस्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); माहात्म्यस्य विशेषण-भावे अपि

• पापनाशनम्: sin-destroying
• पापनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष: पापस्य नाशनम्; (माहात्म्य/रहस्य) विशेषण

• कथयिष्ये: I will narrate
• कथयिष्ये: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथय् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद

• वरारोहे: O fair-hipped/beautiful one
• वरारोहे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + आरोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular); बहुव्रीहि: वरम् आरोहः यस्याः सा (she whose ascent/figure is excellent)

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्नेहेन: out of affection; by love
• स्नेहेन: Hetu/karana (Cause/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नेह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• भामिनि: O lovely lady
• भामिनि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भामिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ādi-kṣetra (Prabhāsa)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī (Pārvatī)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva, moved by affection, promises to reveal the secret greatness of the primordial kṣetra that destroys sins; the atmosphere becomes intimate and esoteric, as if a veil is lifted.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Devī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s glory is both ‘rahasya’ (inner meaning) and ‘pāpa-nāśana’ (sin-destroying); divine compassion makes sacred knowledge accessible.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The ‘Ādikṣetra’ identified in this section with Prabhāsakṣetra’s primordial sanctity.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite; the emphasis is on receiving the māhātmya as a purificatory spiritual act.