Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

पापोपपातकैर्युक्ता ये नरा नर्मदाजले । शुक्लतीर्थे मृताः शुद्धा न ते मद्विषयाः क्वचित्

Transliteration

pāpopapātakairyuktā ye narā narmadājale | śuklatīrthe mṛtāḥ śuddhā na te madviṣayāḥ kvacit

Translation

Selbst Menschen, beladen mit Sünden und kleineren Vergehen: Sterben sie in Śukla Tīrtha in den Wassern der Narmadā, werden sie gereinigt; niemals fallen sie unter meine Zuständigkeit.

Word by Word

• पाप-उपपातकैः: with sins and lesser sins
• पाप-उपपातकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप-उपपातक (प्रातिपदिक; पाप + उपपातक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण (with sins and minor sins)

• युक्ताः: associated/tainted
• युक्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त; √युज् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, विशेषण (connected/associated)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun)

• नराः: men/people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; कर्ता

• नर्मदा-जले: in the water of the Narmadā
• नर्मदा-जले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा-जल (प्रातिपदिक; नर्मदा + जल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• शुक्लतीर्थे: at Śukla-tīrtha
• शुक्लतीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; शुक्ल + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• मृताः: having died
• मृताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत (कृदन्त; √मृ (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, विशेषण (having died)

• शुद्धाः: purified
• शुद्धाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मद्-विषयाः: subject to me / within my jurisdiction
• मद्-विषयाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद्-विषय (प्रातिपदिक; मद्(=मम) + विषय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; विशेषण (belonging to my domain)

• क्वचित्: ever/anywhere
• क्वचित्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देश/कालवाचक (indefinite adverb)

Speaker

Dharma (personified)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śukla Tīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Two crows (dānavas)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sinner burdened by dark karmic chains dissolves into light upon entering the white-bright waters of Narmadā at Śukla Tīrtha; Yamadūtas halted at the boundary.

Characters & Entities

• Śukla Tīrtha
• Narmadā
• Pāpa
• Upapātaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s sanctifying power can cleanse even heavy moral burdens, illustrating Purāṇic grace operating through sacred place and sacred water.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śukla Tīrtha in the Narmadā’s waters.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse implies the salvific potency of being in/with the Narmadā at Śukla Tīrtha; no explicit vow or charity is specified.