Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

महापुण्या पवित्रा च सर्वतीर्थमयी शुभा । पुनानि कीर्तनेनैव दर्शनेन विशेषतः

Transliteration

mahāpuṇyā pavitrā ca sarvatīrthamayī śubhā | punāni kīrtanenaiva darśanena viśeṣataḥ

Translation

তিনি মহাপুণ্যময়ী, পবিত্রা ও শুভা, সর্বতীর্থময়ী; কেবল স্মরণ-कीर्तनেই পবিত্র করেন, আর দর্শনে তো বিশেষত।

Word by Word

• महापुण्या: greatly holy
• महापुण्या: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā (प्रातिपदिक) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; Feminine, Nominative singular; कर्मधारयः (महती पुण्या)

• पवित्रा: purifying
• पवित्रा: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; Feminine, Nominative singular

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• सर्वतीर्थमयी: consisting of all sacred fords
• सर्वतीर्थमयी: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; Feminine, Nominative singular; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वैः तीर्थैः मयी = सर्वतीर्थमयी)

• शुभा: auspicious
• शुभा: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; Feminine, Nominative singular

• पुनानि: (it) purifies
• पुनानि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुषः? / मध्यम?; रूपतः—लट्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (परस्मैपदम्) ‘पुनन्ति’ इत्यर्थे छन्दसि/पाठभेदे ‘पुनानि’; Present, 3rd person plural (active)

• कीर्तनेन: by praising/recitation
• कीर्तनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचनम्; Neuter, Instrumental singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of emphasis)

• दर्शनेन: by seeing
• दर्शनेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गः, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचनम्; Neuter, Instrumental singular

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (continuing the account; referent is Revā/Narmadā)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Arjuna (Pārtha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The river Revā is praised as an auspicious goddess-river containing all tīrthas; devotees on the bank chant her names while others gaze upon her shining flow.

Characters & Entities

• Revā (Narmadā)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred power operates through multiple modes—kīrtana (praise/recitation) and darśana (sight); devotion and encounter with holiness both purify.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā (Narmadā) river, praised as the essence of all tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Kīrtana (praising/reciting her glory) and darśana (visiting for sight) are presented as purifying acts.