Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

ततस्तु प्रार्थयेद्विप्रांस्तदर्थं च विशुद्धये । गर्तातीर्थोद्भवो विप्रो विनयावनतः स्थितः

Transliteration

tatastu prārthayedviprāṃstadarthaṃ ca viśuddhaye | gartātīrthodbhavo vipro vinayāvanataḥ sthitaḥ

Translation

ثم ينبغي له أن يتضرّع إلى حكماء البراهمة لذلك الغرض، أي لنيل التطهّر التام. وكان هناك براهميّ منبثق من تيرثا «غارتا»، واقفًا مطأطئًا في تواضع.

Word by Word

• ततः: then / thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Temporal/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तर-अर्थे (thereafter)

• तु: but / indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• प्रार्थयेत्: should request
• प्रार्थयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रार्थय् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• विप्रान्: Brahmins
• विप्रान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तत्-अर्थम्: for that purpose
• तत्-अर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य अर्थः)

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

• विशुद्धये: for purification
• विशुद्धये: Sampradana (Recipient/Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे (for the sake of)

• गर्तातीर्थोद्भवः: originating from Gartā-tīrtha
• गर्तातीर्थोद्भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्तातीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-भावः (गर्तातीर्थात् उद्भवः = originating from Gartā-tīrtha)

• विप्रः: the Brahmin
• विप्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विनय-अवनतः: bowed down in humility
• विनय-अवनतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विनय (प्रातिपदिक) + अवनत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √नम्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तृतीया-तत्पुरुषः (विनयेन अवनतः = bowed with humility); अवनत = भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• स्थितः: stood / remained
• स्थितः: Kriya (State/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative instruction within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gartā-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A brāhmaṇa associated with the tīrtha stands or sits with folded hands, head bowed; the pilgrim’s request for purification is framed as a formal petition in a sacred precinct.

Characters & Entities

• Gartā-tīrtha
• vipra (brāhmaṇa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Viśuddhi is approached through humility and rightful petition; tīrthas are upheld by lineages and specialists connected to the sacred place.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gartā-tīrtha is explicitly mentioned, indicating a localized sacred site within the Nāgarakhaṇḍa’s tīrtha narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Requesting brāhmaṇas for viśuddhi, with emphasis on humility (vinaya) in the petitioner/representative.