Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

पुलस्त्य उवाच । ततो गच्छेन्नृपश्रेष्ठ यमतीर्थमनुत्तमम् । मोचकं नरकेभ्यश्च प्राणिनां पापनाशनम्

Transliteration

pulastya uvāca | tato gacchennṛpaśreṣṭha yamatīrthamanuttamam | mocakaṃ narakebhyaśca prāṇināṃ pāpanāśanam

Translation

ପୁଲସ୍ତ୍ୟ କହିଲେ—ତଦନନ୍ତରେ, ହେ ନୃପଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ, ଅନୁତ୍ତମ ଯମତୀର୍ଥକୁ ଯିବା ଉଚିତ; ଏହା ନରକରୁ ମୋଚନକାରୀ ଏବଂ ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କ ପାପନାଶକ।

Word by Word

• pulastyaḥ: Pulastya
• pulastyaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pulastya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tataḥ: then; thereafter
• tataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अव्यय-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• gacchet: should go
• gacchet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nṛpaśreṣṭha: O best of kings
• nṛpaśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa-śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक; नृप + श्रेष्ठ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; संबोधनपद

• yamatīrtham: to Yama-tīrtha
• yamatīrtham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama-tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; गच्छेत् इत्यस्य कर्म (object)

• anuttamam: unsurpassed; excellent
• anuttamam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-uttama (प्रातिपदिक; नञ् + उत्तम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; यमतीर्थम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• mocakam: liberating; releasing
• mocakam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mocaka (प्रातिपदिक; √muc-ण्वुल्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; यमतीर्थम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• narakebhyaḥ: from hells
• narakebhyaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• prāṇinām: of living beings
• prāṇinām: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध-षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• pāpanāśanam: destroyer of sins
• pāpanāśanam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa-nāśana (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + नाशन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; यमतीर्थम् इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Pulastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Yama Tīrtha

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (nṛpaśreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pulastya directs the king onward to Yama Tīrtha; the path suggests a pilgrimage itinerary. The tīrtha is depicted as solemn yet protective—symbolically guarded, promising release from hellish destinies.

Characters & Entities

• Pulastya
• Yama Tīrtha
• Naraka (hells)
• Pāpa (sin)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage to a consecrated tīrtha is portrayed as a powerful means of purification and deliverance from dire karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Yama Tīrtha, described as ‘anuttama’ (unsurpassed) and sin-destroying.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A pilgrimage injunction: “one should go” to Yama Tīrtha; specific rites are not detailed in this verse.