Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

संकल्पं मनसा कृत्वा ब्राह्मणानुज्ञया व्रजेत् । तीर्थे गत्वा तथा स्नात्वा कृत्वा चैव सुरार्चनम्

Transliteration

saṃkalpaṃ manasā kṛtvā brāhmaṇānujñayā vrajet | tīrthe gatvā tathā snātvā kṛtvā caiva surārcanam

Translation

Nachdem man im Geist den heiligen Entschluss (saṅkalpa) gefasst und die Erlaubnis der Brāhmaṇas erlangt hat, soll man aufbrechen. Am Tīrtha angekommen, bade man dort und vollziehe die Verehrung der Gottheit.

Word by Word

• संकल्पम्: vow, resolve
• संकल्पम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having done’

• ब्राह्मणानुज्ञया: by the Brahmins' permission
• ब्राह्मणानुज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण-अनुज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; instrumental singular; ब्राह्मणानाम् अनुज्ञया (by the permission of Brahmins)

• व्रजेत्: should go
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• तीर्थे: at a sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; locative singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √गम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); ‘having gone’

• तथा: then/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); ‘having bathed’

• कृत्वा: having performed
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √कृ (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive); ‘having done’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सुरार्चनम्: worship of the gods
• सुरार्चनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर-अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular; सुराणाम् अर्चनम् (worship of the gods)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (Narmadā)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim at dawn on the Narmadā steps, hands joined in saṅkalpa, a brāhmaṇa elder giving blessing; then the pilgrim entering the river and later offering flowers/incense at a small shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is sanctified by right intention (saṅkalpa), guidance of the learned, and worship at the sacred site.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Any tīrtha within the Revā/Narmadā sacred geography; the verse describes the standard procedure upon arrival.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Make saṅkalpa, seek brāhmaṇa approval, go to the tīrtha, bathe, and perform surārcana (deity worship).