Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 85

Devanagari script

विज्ञप्तिकौतुकं चापि पुरस्कृत्य दिवं ययौ । तदाप्रभृति तत्तीर्थं वेतालवरदाभिधम्

Transliteration

vijñaptikautukaṃ cāpi puraskṛtya divaṃ yayau | tadāprabhṛti tattīrthaṃ vetālavaradābhidham

Translation

مُكْرِمًا التماسَه الشاكر وعجبه، مضى إلى السماء. ومنذ ذلك الحين اشتهر ذلك التيرثا باسم «فيتالا-فارادا»، واهب النعمة التي تُخلِّص من حال الفيتالا.

Word by Word

• विज्ञप्तिकौतुकम्: the petition/request and the marvel (or: the marvel of the petition)
• विज्ञप्तिकौतुकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विज्ञप्ति + कौतुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विज्ञप्तेः कौतुकम् / विज्ञप्ति-सम्बद्धं कौतुकम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/समुच्चयार्थ (also/even)

• पुरस्कृत्य: having honoured/put forward
• पुरस्कृत्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पुरस् + √कृ (धातु) + ल्यप् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययभावे कृदन्त; ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त (absolutive) ‘having placed in front/honoured’

• दिवम्: to heaven
• दिवम्: Gati-Karma (Goal/गतिकर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/द्यौ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (द्यौः), द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘दिवम्’ (to heaven)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (then)

• प्रभृति: from (that time)
• प्रभृति: Kāla (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रभृति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आरम्भार्थक (from/since)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘तत्तीर्थम्’ इति समासवत् प्रयोगे विशेषण

• तीर्थम्: that tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• वेतालवरदाभिधम्: named ‘Vetāla-varada’
• वेतालवरदाभिधम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेताल + वरद + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वेताल-वरद-इति अभिधा यस्य/यत्) = ‘वेतालवरद’ नामक; ‘तीर्थम्’ इति विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified narrator (Setukhaṇḍa narrative voice)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Vetāla-varadā Tīrtha

Type: tirtha

Visual Art Cues

Scene: After receiving honor for his petition and the marvel witnessed, the blessed figure ascends toward heaven; below, the ford is marked and remembered by a new name, as if the landscape itself proclaims the boon.

Characters & Entities

• Vetāla-varadā Tīrtha
• Heaven (diva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha’s name memorializes its saving power; gratitude and testimony turn private grace into public dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Vetāla-varadā Tīrtha, a Setukhaṇḍa sacred ford celebrated for removing vetāla-condition.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new rite; the verse records the tīrtha’s naming and the devotee’s ascent after receiving its fruit.