Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कृमिकीटपतंगानां तिरश्चामपि मोक्षदम् । यत्र कूपादितोयेषु जलं सारस्वतं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

kṛmikīṭapataṃgānāṃ tiraścāmapi mokṣadam | yatra kūpāditoyeṣu jalaṃ sārasvataṃ smṛtam

Translation

இது புழு, பூச்சி, பட்டாம்பூச்சி முதலான தாழ்ந்த உயிர்களுக்கும், பிற விலங்குகளுக்கும் கூட முக்தி அளிக்கிறது. அங்கே கிணறு முதலிய நீர்நிலைகளின் நீர் ‘சாரஸ்வத’ (சரஸ்வதியொத்த புனிதம்) என நினைக்கப்படுகிறது.

Word by Word

• kṛmi: worms
• kṛmi: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग (member in compound)

• kīṭa: insects
• kīṭa: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kīṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, समासाङ्ग

• pataṃgānām: of worms, insects, and flying creatures
• pataṃgānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pataṃga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; समासः द्वन्द्वः (kṛmi+kīṭa+pataṃga)

• tiraścām: of animals
• tiraścām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tiraśc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; ‘तिर्यग्जाति’ (animals)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधान/समुच्चय (particle): ‘also/even’

• mokṣadam: granting liberation
• mokṣadam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mokṣada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (mokṣa+da)

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, सम्बन्ध-देशवाचक (relative locative adverb): ‘where’

• kūpa: well
• kūpa: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• ādi: and the like
• ādi: Sambandha-bodhaka (Connector/सम्बन्धसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: अव्यय, ‘आदि’ (etc./beginning with) as compound member

• toyeṣu: in waters (of wells etc.)
• toyeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (kūpa+ādi+toya)

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• sārasvatam: Sarasvatī-related/sacred
• sārasvatam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sārasvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying jalam)

• smṛtam: is considered/called
• smṛtam: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु) + kta (क्त) → smṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), कर्मणि प्रयोगः (passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘(is) called/considered’

Speaker

Śiva (to Devī/Umā, inferred)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sārasvata-jala sources (kūpa-ādi-toya) within Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Devī/Umā (addressed as devi)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred well within Prabhāsa; pilgrims draw water reverently. Tiny creatures—worms, insects, birds—are shown protected and bathed in the aura of liberation; the water shines with Sarasvatī-like purity.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Devī
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra
• Sārasvata-jala

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true kṣetra’s grace is universal—its sanctity uplifts not only humans but all living beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, especially its sacred waters described as Sārasvata.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied tīrtha-snānā: reverent use of the sacred waters (from wells and other sources) for purification.