Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 101

Devanagari script

तत्रैव सुचिरं कालं तपस्तप्तं सुपुष्कलम् । नारदस्योपदेशेन प्रभासे पापनाशने

Transliteration

tatraiva suciraṃ kālaṃ tapastaptaṃ supuṣkalam | nāradasyopadeśena prabhāse pāpanāśane

Translation

அங்கேயே பாபநாசகமான பிரபாசத் தீர்த்தத்தில் நாரதரின் உபதேசத்தின்படி அவர் நீண்ட காலம் மிகுந்தும் கடுமையாகவும் தவம் செய்தார்।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात

• सु-चिरम्: very long
• सु-चिरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (कालम् इति)

• कालम्: time (for a period)
• कालम्: Kaaladhikarana (Time-extent/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• तप्तम्: performed (undertaken)
• तप्तम्: Kriya (Action/state)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकालिक कृदन्त (past participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे (done/performed)

• सु-पुष्कलम्: very abundant/great
• सु-पुष्कलम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + पुष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (तपः इति)

• नारदस्य: of Nārada
• नारदस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• उपदेशेन: by (his) instruction
• उपदेशेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रभासे: in Prabhāsa
• प्रभासे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• पाप-नाशने: (which is) the destroyer of sins
• पाप-नाशने: Visheshana (Qualifier of location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; विशेषणम् (प्रभासे इति)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narration; speaker not explicit in this verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (pāpa-nāśana)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Yādava king sits in austere posture near the Prabhāsa shore/temple-grove, performing long tapas; Nārada, vīṇā in hand, offers instruction; the atmosphere is quiet, luminous, and purifying.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Prabhāsa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True transformation comes through sustained tapas performed in a sacred place under the guidance of a realized teacher.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, praised as pāpa-nāśana—“the destroyer of sins.”

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) undertaken for a long duration, grounded in proper instruction (upadeśa).