Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा तत्र महातीर्थे लुठमानो व्रजेन्नरः । पापकर्मान्यतो याति धर्मकर्मा व्रजेन्नदीम्

Transliteration

snātvā tatra mahātīrthe luṭhamāno vrajennaraḥ | pāpakarmānyato yāti dharmakarmā vrajennadīm

Translation

فإذا اغتسل المرءُ في ذلك المَعبر المقدّس العظيم (tīrtha)، فليمضِ هناك متدحرجًا تعبّدًا؛ إذ تذهب أفعاله الآثمة إلى غيره، ويصير مواظبًا على عمل الدharma، ثم ليتوجّه إلى النهر.

Word by Word

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त-अव्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वक्रिया (having bathed)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• महातीर्थे: in the great sacred ford
• महातीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; अधिकरण (place)

• लुठमानः: rolling about
• लुठमानः: Karta (Agent qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लुठ् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त) → लुठमान (वर्तमानकृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त, कर्तरि; कर्तृविशेषण

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्ता

• पापकर्माणि: sinful actions
• पापकर्माणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), बहुवचन; ‘पापकर्माणि’ = sinful acts

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतुवाचक/तस्मात्-अर्थक-अव्यय (therefore/from this)

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present indicative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धर्मकर्मा: one engaged in righteous acts
• धर्मकर्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; कर्ता (धर्मकर्मा = one whose acts are righteous)

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नदीम्: to the river
• नदीम्: Karma (Goal/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्म (destination)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced from Purāṇic mahātmya style in Revākhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahā-tīrtha on Revā (unnamed here)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim/king as instructed audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim emerges from a sacred ford, wet hair and folded hands, then performs luṭhana (rolling/prostration) on the sandy bank; in the distance the river glitters, with other pilgrims moving in procession.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional pilgrimage—especially tīrtha-snānā—transforms the pilgrim from pāpa-oriented conduct to dharma-oriented conduct.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A “mahātīrtha” in the Revā Khaṇḍa context—connected to the Revā/Narmadā sacred landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing at the tīrtha and proceeding with humble devotion (luṭhana), then approaching the river.