Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

जापिनः शुचयो नित्यं यतिधर्मक्रियापराः । सांख्ययोगविधिज्ञा ये धर्मविच्छिन्नसंशयाः

Transliteration

jāpinaḥ śucayo nityaṃ yatidharmakriyāparāḥ | sāṃkhyayogavidhijñā ye dharmavicchinnasaṃśayāḥ

Translation

அவர்கள் ஜபம் செய்பவர்கள், எப்போதும் தூய்மையுடையவர்கள், யதி-தர்மக் கடமைகளில் ஈடுபட்டவர்கள்; சாங்க்ய-யோக விதிகளை அறிந்தவர்கள், தர்மம் குறித்த சந்தேகங்கள் அறுந்தவர்கள்।

Word by Word

• जापिनः: chanters (of japa)
• जापिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जापिन् (प्रातिपदिक; जप् (धातु) + इन् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘जपं कुर्वन्ति’ इति कर्तरि नाम

• शुचयः: pure
• शुचयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• यतिधर्मक्रियापराः: devoted to the duties and practices of ascetics
• यतिधर्मक्रियापराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यति-धर्म-क्रिया-पर (प्रातिपदिक; यति + धर्म + क्रिया + पर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष; विशेषण

• सांख्ययोगविधिज्ञाः: knowers of the methods of Sāṅkhya and Yoga
• सांख्ययोगविधिज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सांख्य-योग-विधि-ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक; सांख्य + योग + विधि + ज्ञ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष; विशेषण

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• धर्मविच्छिन्नसंशयाः: whose doubts are cut off by dharma
• धर्मविच्छिन्नसंशयाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म-विच्छिन्न-संशय (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + विच्छिन्न (वि+छिद् धातु, क्त) + संशय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष; ‘धर्मेण विच्छिन्नाः संशयाः येषाम्’ इत्यर्थे बहुव्रीह्यर्थच्छाया; विशेषण

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from immediate context; instruction on kṣetra-vāsins)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene assembly of Prabhāsa-dwelling brāhmaṇas/ascetics seated near a coastal tīrtha, counting japa-mālā, with calm faces suggesting doubtlessness; subtle symbols of Sāṃkhya (tattva-diagram) and Yoga (āsana) appear.

Characters & Entities

• Japa
• Yati-dharma
• Sāṃkhya
• Yoga
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purity, mantra-discipline, and tested philosophical practice (Sāṃkhya-Yoga) remove doubt and stabilize dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, depicting its true residents as japa-centered, ascetic in conduct, and firm in dharma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertake japa, maintain śauca (purity), follow yati-dharma disciplines, and practice/understand Sāṃkhya-Yoga methods.