Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

आब्रह्मस्तम्बपर्यंतं जगत्तृप्यत्विति ब्रुवन् । अपसव्येन विधिवत्तर्प्पयेदंजलित्रयम्

Transliteration

ābrahmastambaparyaṃtaṃ jagattṛpyatviti bruvan | apasavyena vidhivattarppayedaṃjalitrayam

Translation

قائلاً: «ليَرضَ العالم كلّه—من براهما إلى نصلِ عشبٍ—»، ينبغي أن يُؤدَّى التَّرْپَنَة (tarpaṇa) على الوجه الشرعي، مع ارتداء الخيط المقدّس على الهيئة المعكوسة (أپَسَڤْيَة)، وتقديم ثلاث حفنات من الماء بالكفّين المضمومتين.

Word by Word

• ā-brahma-stamba-paryantam: up to Brahmā and the (grass-)stalk (i.e., up to the highest and lowest)
• ā-brahma-stamba-paryantam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Extent/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā (अव्यय) + brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + stamba (प्रातिपदिक) + paryanta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययार्थक-सीमा (up to ...); अन्त्यपद नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (क्रियाविशेषणवत्)

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; वाक्ये संबोधन/उक्तिविषय (object of speech)

• tṛpyatu: let (it) be satisfied
• tṛpyatu: Kriyā (Quoted verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṛp (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (Quotation marker/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-प्रयोग (quotative particle)

• bruvan: saying
• bruvan: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ), प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग; कर्तरि (active participle)

• apasavyena: with the leftward (sacred-thread position)
• apasavyena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apasavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणवाचक

• vidhivat: according to the prescribed rite
• vidhivat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vidhivat (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (according to rule)

• tarpayet: should offer tarpana / should satisfy (by libations)
• tarpayet: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tṛp (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative sense: 'cause to be satisfied')

• añjali-trayam: three handfuls (of water)
• añjali-trayam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: añjali (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक-समास (three handfuls)

Speaker

Viśvāmitra (deduced from Adhyāya context; confirmed later in 66)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarayū-tīrtha (Ayodhyā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A devotee stands at the river’s edge with the sacred thread worn apāsavya, palms cupped, releasing three streams of water while reciting a universal satisfaction prayer; the scene is solemn and precise.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• jagat
• tarpaṇa
• apasavya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ritual acts at a tīrtha should be performed with right intention—wishing welfare broadly—and with correct vidhi.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Ayodhyā tīrtha setting of the Ayodhyāmāhātmya, where tarpaṇa is prescribed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform tarpaṇa apasavya (thread in reverse) and offer three aṃjalis of water while uttering a satisfaction formula.