Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

चेरुर्वै तत्र विपुलं तपः सिद्धिमवाप्नुवन् । तदाप्रभृति तत्तीर्थं देवतीर्थमनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

cerurvai tatra vipulaṃ tapaḥ siddhimavāpnuvan | tadāprabhṛti tattīrthaṃ devatīrthamanuttamam

Translation

هناك مارسوا تقشّفًا وافرًا (تَبَس) ونالوا تمام السِّدهي. ومنذ ذلك الحين اشتهر ذلك المَعبر باسم «ديفاتيرثا»، وهو موضع الاغتسال المقدّس الذي لا نظير له.

Word by Word

• चेरुः: they wandered/dwelt
• चेरुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपातार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• विपुलम्: abundant, great
• विपुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् (qualifying)

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• सिद्धिम्: attainment, success
• सिद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया (accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• अवाप्नुवन्: they obtained
• अवाप्नुवन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (adverb of time)

• आप्रभृति: from then onward
• आप्रभृति: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आप्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘from (that time) onwards’ अर्थे

• तत्-तीर्थम्: that sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• तत्-तीर्थम्: Karma/Pratipadyam (Object/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nominative/accusative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative)

• देव-तीर्थम्: the gods’ pilgrimage-place
• देव-तीर्थम्: Karma/Pratipadyam (Object/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nominative/accusative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषसमास

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, supreme
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nominative/accusative), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम्

Speaker

Unspecified Purāṇic narrator

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Devatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpa/narādhipa addressed in surrounding verses)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages performing intense tapas on the banks of Revā; a luminous ford marked as Devatīrtha, with subtle divine presence and a calm river current.

Characters & Entities

• Devatīrtha
• Narmadā (Revā)
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s greatness is rooted in tapas and siddhi; disciplined holiness generates enduring sacred geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Devatīrtha on the banks/region of the Revā (Narmadā).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as the sanctifying practice that leads to siddhi and tīrtha-glory.