Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

गर्भवासो हि दुःखाय न सुखाय कदाचन । तत्तीर्थवारिणा स्नातुर्न पुनर्भवसम्भवः

Transliteration

garbhavāso hi duḥkhāya na sukhāya kadācana | tattīrthavāriṇā snāturna punarbhavasambhavaḥ

Translation

Denn das Verweilen im Mutterleib ist Leid, niemals Glück. Wer jedoch im Wasser jenes Tīrtha badet, für den besteht keine Möglichkeit einer erneuten Wiedergeburt.

Word by Word

• गर्भवासः: womb-dwelling; gestation
• गर्भवासः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (गर्भे वासः)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle; emphasis/causal)

• दुःखाय: for suffering
• दुःखाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध

• सुखाय: for happiness
• सुखाय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन

• कदाचन: ever; at any time
• कदाचन: Kriya-visheshana (Time/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचन (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, कालवाचक

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• तीर्थवारिणा: with the water of that tīrtha
• तीर्थवारिणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य वारि)

• स्नातुः: of the bather
• स्नातुः: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नातृ (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; कर्तरि-तृच् (agent noun: one who bathes)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध

• पुनर्भवसम्भवः: possibility of rebirth
• पुनर्भवसम्भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुनर्भव + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुष (पुनर्भवस्य सम्भवः)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Siddheśvara tīrtha (its waters)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (nṛpasattama)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative pilgrim at dawn bathing in the Narmadā, with a serene Śiva shrine nearby; the imagery contrasts the darkness of womb-suffering (suggested symbolically) with the clear, liberating river light.

Characters & Entities

• Tīrtha water (tīrtha-vāri)
• Rebirth (punarbhava)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The text elevates tīrtha-snān as a liberating act, pointing toward release from the painful cycle of rebirth.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Siddheśvara tīrtha associated with the Narmadā, referenced as “that tīrtha.”

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Bathing (snāna) in the waters of that tīrtha.