Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

एतत्तीर्थवरं पुण्यं लिङ्गो यत्र जनार्दनः । वञ्चयित्वा रिपून्संख्ये क्रोधो भूत्वा सनातनः

Transliteration

etattīrthavaraṃ puṇyaṃ liṅgo yatra janārdanaḥ | vañcayitvā ripūnsaṃkhye krodho bhūtvā sanātanaḥ

Translation

Dies ist eine höchst erhabene und heilige Tīrtha, wo Janārdana als Liṅga gegenwärtig ist. Nachdem er die Feinde im Kampf überlistet hatte, offenbarte sich der Ewige als der Zorn selbst, uranfänglich.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तीर्थवरम् इति विशेषण

• तीर्थवरम्: the best sacred ford/place of pilgrimage
• तीर्थवरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (वरं तीर्थम्)

• पुण्यम्: holy; meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• लिङ्गः: the liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb of place)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janārdana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वञ्चयित्वा: having deceived; having outwitted
• वञ्चयित्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √vañc (वञ्च्, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (prior action)

• रिपून्: enemies
• रिपून्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ripu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• संख्ये: in battle
• संख्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• क्रोधः: anger
• क्रोधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √bhū (भू, धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), अव्यय; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया

• सनातनः: eternal; ancient
• सनातनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (क्रोधः इति)

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced from immediate chapter context continuing into 150.1)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverine shrine where a liṅga bears Vaiṣṇava marks (chakra/śaṅkha or śrīvatsa), radiating fierce protective energy; defeated ‘enemies’ symbolized as dark figures dissolving.

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana
• Liṅga
• Sanātana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha becomes supremely holy by divine presence; the Lord’s protective power can manifest fiercely to uphold dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A ‘tīrtha-vara’ in the Revā Khaṇḍa where Janārdana is established in liṅga-form (the verse does not name it explicitly).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implicitly, worship/visit of the tīrtha and reverence to the liṅga-form of Janārdana; no detailed rite is given in this verse.