Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 53

Devanagari script

अगम्यनिरता ये तु मैथुने व्यभिचारतः । संध्यायां मैथुनं यांति गृहं तेषां समाविश

Transliteration

agamyaniratā ye tu maithune vyabhicārataḥ | saṃdhyāyāṃ maithunaṃ yāṃti gṛhaṃ teṣāṃ samāviśa

Translation

ये तु अगम्यनिरताः, मैथुने व्यभिचारतः, संध्यायां मैथुनं यान्ति—तेषां गृहं त्वं समाविश।

Word by Word

• अगम्यनिरताः: engaged in forbidden relations
• अगम्यनिरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अगम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘अगम्ये निरताः’ (masc nom pl)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (masc nominative plural)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• मैथुने: in sexual intercourse
• मैथुने: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter locative singular)

• व्यभिचारतः: due to adultery/immorality
• व्यभिचारतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: व्यभिचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: ‘from/through’), कारणवाचक (causal)

• सन्ध्यायाम्: at twilight
• सन्ध्यायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (fem locative singular)

• मैथुनम्: sexual intercourse
• मैथुनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

• यान्ति: go/engage
• यान्ति: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम् (present indicative, 3rd pl)

• गृहम्: house
• गृहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (neuter accusative singular)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• समाविश: enter
• समाविश: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम् (imperative, 2nd sg)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; continuing admonitory instructions addressed to a bhūta/negative force)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Twilight sky at the threshold of night; a couple engaged in forbidden intimacy while the saṃdhyā lamp and water-pot for worship remain untouched; a dark presence slips into the house.

Characters & Entities

• Saṃdhyā (twilight)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Adharma—especially sexual misconduct and disrespect for sandhyā time—weakens spiritual protection and invites suffering.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra; the māhātmya uses moral discipline to define worthy life in a sacred place.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Avoiding maithuna at saṃdhyā (twilight) and refraining from illicit relations—ethical restraints tied to daily sacred timings.