Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 45

Devanagari script

अथवा वेदमार्गेण कुर्यात्स्नानं द्विजोत्तमः । यद्येवं मन्त्रविस्तारे ह्यशक्तो दीक्षया विना

Transliteration

athavā vedamārgeṇa kuryātsnānaṃ dvijottamaḥ | yadyevaṃ mantravistāre hyaśakto dīkṣayā vinā

Translation

یا پھر ویدک مارگ کے مطابق بہترین دِوِج س্নان کرے؛ اگر وہ دیکشا کے بغیر منتر کے اس وسیع پاتھ کو انجام دینے سے قاصر ہو۔

Word by Word

• अथवा: or else; alternatively
• अथवा: Discourse marker (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथवा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or/alternatively)

• वेदमार्गेण: by the Vedic path/method
• वेदमार्गेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (vedasya mārgaḥ)

• कुर्यात्: should do; should perform
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• द्विजोत्तमः: the best of the twice-born (a foremost Brahmin)
• द्विजोत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (श्रेष्ठः द्विजः)

• यदि: if
• यदि: Discourse marker (शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle: if)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Modifier (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this manner)

• मन्त्रविस्तारे: in the detailed (use of) mantras; in mantra elaboration
• मन्त्रविस्तारे: Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र + विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (mantrāṇāṃ vistāraḥ)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Discourse marker (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic/causal particle)

• अशक्तः: unable; incapable
• अशक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्त (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नञ्-पूर्वक विशेषण

• दीक्षया: by initiation; with consecration
• दीक्षया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Modifier (अपादान/वियोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-विभक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (preposition-like indeclinable: without); सह तृतीयार्थे प्रयोगः

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (Vaidika-mārga snāna option)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dvijottama / qualified practitioner addressed indirectly; primary addressee remains the interlocutor of the section

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa at the Prabhāsa ghāṭa chooses a simpler Vedic-mode snāna, holding darbha and a small water-pot, while a more elaborate mantra-ritual is shown in the background as optional—highlighting graded practice.

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Dīkṣā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma provides graded methods—when full mantra-ritual is not feasible, a Vedic-mode alternative is permitted.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is part of Prabhāsakṣetra Māhātmya, framing Prabhāsa as a place where correct method matters.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform snāna via the Veda-mārga when one lacks dīkṣā or capacity for elaborate mantra procedures.