Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 42

Devanagari script

अज्ञानभावाद्देवेशो नूनं चात्रार्चितः ।शिवः । तस्मात्कर्मफलं प्राप्तमन्त्यजत्वं द्विजन्मना

Transliteration

ajñānabhāvāddeveśo nūnaṃ cātrārcitaḥ |śivaḥ | tasmātkarmaphalaṃ prāptamantyajatvaṃ dvijanmanā

Translation

یقیناً جہالت کے باعث یہاں پر بھگوان شِو کی پوجا درست طور پر نہ ہو سکی۔ اسی کرم کے پھل سے ایک دِوِج (دوبار جنما) اَنتیج، یعنی اچھوت کی حالت کو پہنچا۔

Word by Word

• अज्ञानभावात्: from the state of ignorance
• अज्ञानभावात्: Apadana (Source/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज्ञान-भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अज्ञानस्य भावः) — Masculine, Ablative (5th), Singular

• देवेशः: the Lord of gods
• देवेशः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् ईशः) — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक-क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable; adverb of certainty

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction) — Indeclinable; conjunction

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण — Indeclinable; locative adverb

• अर्चितः: was worshipped
• अर्चितः: Karma (Patient; in passive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘पूजितः’ — Past passive participle, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Sambandha (Logical connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति निपातवत् (हेतौ/तस्मादर्थे) — Indeclinable-like usage meaning ‘therefore/from that’

• कर्मफलम्: the fruit of action
• कर्मफलम्: Karma (Object/Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म-फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कर्मणः फलम्) — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• प्राप्तम्: obtained
• प्राप्तम्: Karma (Result predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘प्राप्तम्’ = obtained/attained — Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular

• अन्त्यजत्वम्: the state of being an outcaste
• अन्त्यजत्वम्: Karma (Result)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त्यज-त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक-त्वान्त — Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular; abstract noun

• द्विजन्मना: by the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजन्मना: Karana (Agent/Means; in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विजन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the karmic explanation) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gupta-liṅga within Prabhāsa (unnamed)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Naimiṣāraṇya sages (frame implied; not explicit)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Arundhatī, now solemn, narrates an inner vision: a dvija performing flawed worship before the liṅga; the scene fades into an image of social downfall, conveying karmic retribution.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva
• Karma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma emphasizes right understanding and right practice; ignorance in worship can yield painful karmic consequences.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as the setting where worship and its karmic results are revealed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is detailed; the verse highlights the necessity of proper, informed worship (arcana).