Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 33

Devanagari script

रोमकूपे यदा गच्छेद्रसं नीलस्य कस्यचित् । पतितस्तु भवेद्विप्रस्त्रिभिः कृच्छ्रैर्व्यपोहति

Transliteration

romakūpe yadā gacchedrasaṃ nīlasya kasyacit | patitastu bhavedviprastribhiḥ kṛcchrairvyapohati

Translation

اگر کسی نیلے رنگ/مادّے کا رس بال کے سوراخ (رومکُوپ) میں داخل ہو جائے تو برہمن پَتِت (گرا ہوا) سمجھا جاتا ہے؛ وہ تین کِرِچّھر پرایَشچِت کر کے اس عیب کو دور کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• रोमकूपे: in the hair-pores
• रोमकूपे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रोमकूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रोम्णः कूपः)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Sambandha (Temporal link/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'when')

• गच्छेत्: should go/enter
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• रसम्: sap/juice
• रसम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• नीलस्य: of the nīla (blue tree/wood)
• नीलस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• कस्यचित्: of some (person)
• कस्यचित्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite: 'of some')

• पतितः: fallen (i.e., outcaste)
• पतितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past participle)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/contrast)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विप्रः: a brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• कृच्छ्रैः: (penances) kṛcchra rites
• कृच्छ्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृच्छ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; प्रायश्चित्तविशेषः

• व्यपोहति: removes/expels (the sin)
• व्यपोहति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अपो (धातु; उपसर्गः वि-)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa māhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (as authority for niyama)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A close-up narrative: a brāhmaṇa notices blue dye seeping onto skin; sages declare the fault grave; the scene shifts to the brāhmaṇa performing three kṛcchra penances—simple meals, controlled breath, and austere living.

Characters & Entities

• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)
• Kṛcchra (penance)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual discipline is treated as precise; when impurity is incurred, structured penance is prescribed to restore eligibility for sacred rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The regulations are taught under Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya, connecting purity observances with Prabhāsa’s sacred regimen.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

If 'nīla-rasa' enters a hair-follicle, three kṛcchra penances are prescribed as expiation.