Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 62

Devanagari script

गायत्रीसदृशं जाप्यं होमो व्याहृतिभिः समः । अंतर्जले तथा नास्ति पापघ्नमघमर्षणात्

Transliteration

gāyatrīsadṛśaṃ jāpyaṃ homo vyāhṛtibhiḥ samaḥ | aṃtarjale tathā nāsti pāpaghnamaghamarṣaṇāt

Translation

گایتری کے برابر کوئی جپ نہیں؛ ویاہرتیوں کے ساتھ کیا گیا ہوم ہی کے برابر کوئی ہوم نہیں۔ اسی طرح پانی کے اندر اَگھمرشن وِدھی کے مانند کوئی پاپ نाशک نہیں۔

Word by Word

• gāyatrī-sadṛśam: like the Gāyatrī
• gāyatrī-sadṛśam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gāyatrī (प्रातिपदिक) + sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (gāyatrīyāḥ sadṛśam = like the Gāyatrī); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here predicative with 'jāpyam'

• jāpyam: that which is to be muttered (japa)
• jāpyam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāpya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• homaḥ: fire-offering
• homaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: homa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vyāhṛtibhiḥ: with the sacred utterances (bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ etc.)
• vyāhṛtibhiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāhṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental), बहुवचन

• samaḥ: equal
• samaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate with 'homaḥ'

• antar-jale: in the water, within water
• antar-jale: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antar (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (antar + jale = in the water/within water); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb ‘thus, likewise’

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; negation particle

• asti: is, exists
• asti: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• pāpa-ghnam: sin-destroying
• pāpa-ghnam: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ghna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (pāpaṃ hanti iti = sin-destroying); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicative (implied ‘(anything) sin-destroying’)

• agha-marṣaṇāt: than (the rite/mantra) Aghamarṣaṇa
• agha-marṣaṇāt: Apādāna (Standard of comparison/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agha (प्रातिपदिक) + marṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (aghaṃ marṣayati iti = remover of sin); पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (ablative/comparison ‘than’), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (didactic voice within Prabhāsakṣetramāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (tīrtha-jala)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Pilgrims waist-deep in sacred water performing Aghamarṣaṇa (cupped-water gestures, controlled breathing), with a nearby homa-kuṇḍa emitting steady flame and a subtle radiance around a Gāyatrī manuscript/solar disc symbol.

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Vyāhṛti
• Homa
• Aghamarṣaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Among purificatory disciplines, the tradition elevates Gāyatrī-japa, Vyāhṛti-homa, and Aghamarṣaṇa as unsurpassed means of inner cleansing.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the verse highlights rite-based purification commonly performed at tīrthas (especially in sacred waters).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gāyatrī recitation (japa), homa with Vyāhṛtis, and Aghamarṣaṇa performed in/with water (often during snāna).