Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 41

Devanagari script

आप्लुतो वाजिमेधस्य फलं प्राप्स्यति पुष्कलम् । नियमैश्चोपवासैश्च शोषयेद्देहमात्मनः

Transliteration

āpluto vājimedhasya phalaṃ prāpsyati puṣkalam | niyamaiścopavāsaiśca śoṣayeddehamātmanaḥ

Translation

ଏଠାରେ ସ୍ନାନ କଲେ ଅଶ୍ୱମେଧଯଜ୍ଞ ସମ ଅପାର ଫଳ ମିଳେ। ଏବଂ ନିୟମ ଓ ଉପବାସ ଦ୍ୱାରା ତପସ୍ୟାରେ ନିଜ ଦେହକୁ ସଂଯମିତ—ଯେନ ଶୁଷ୍କ—କରିବା ଉଚିତ।

Word by Word

• आप्लुतः: having bathed/immersed
• आप्लुतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + प्लु (धातु) → आप्लुत (कृदन्त; क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (one who has bathed/immersed)

• वाजिमेधस्य: of the Aśvamedha (horse-sacrifice)
• वाजिमेधस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाजिमेध (प्रातिपदिक: वाजि + मेध)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (वाजिनः मेधः)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• प्राप्स्यति: will obtain
• प्राप्स्यति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुष्कलम्: abundant
• पुष्कलम्: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying फलम्)

• नियमैः: by disciplines
• नियमैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• उपवासैः: by fasts
• उपवासैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (conjunction)

• शोषयेत्: should dry/emaciate
• शोषयेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुष् (धातु) (णिच्)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to dry)

• देहम्: the body
• देहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• आत्मनः: of oneself
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

Speaker

Śiva

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (Prabhāsakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims bathe at a sacred coastal/riverine tīrtha of Prabhāsa at dawn; nearby ascetics observe fasts and restraints, embodying tapas; the atmosphere suggests sacrifice-like sanctity without a physical yajña-fire.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha (Vājimedha)
• Prācīna Tīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage-bathing combined with tapas (discipline and fasting) is portrayed as a potent, accessible substitute for costly Vedic sacrifices.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the praise of bathing at Prācīna Tīrtha in Prabhāsa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (immersion) along with niyama (restraints) and upavāsa (fasting) as austerity.