Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

नलेश्वरं च मार्कण्डं शुक्लतीर्थमतः परम् । व्यासेश्वरं परं तीर्थं तत्र सिद्धेश्वरं तथा

Transliteration

naleśvaraṃ ca mārkaṇḍaṃ śuklatīrthamataḥ param | vyāseśvaraṃ paraṃ tīrthaṃ tatra siddheśvaraṃ tathā

Translation

Dort sind Naleśvara und Mārkaṇḍa; und darüber hinaus das Śukla-tīrtha. Dort befindet sich das höchste tīrtha des Vyāseśvara, und ebenso Siddheśvara.

Word by Word

• नलेश्वरम्: Naleśvara (name of a shrine)
• नलेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नल + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (नलस्य ईश्वरः)

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

• मार्कण्डम्: Mārkaṇḍa (name of a shrine/place)
• मार्कण्डम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुक्लतीर्थम्: Śukla-tīrtha (the ‘white’ sacred ford)
• शुक्लतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (शुक्लं तीर्थम्)

• अतः: thereafter; from there
• अतः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अर्थे ‘ततः/अस्मात्’ (thereafter/from here)

• परम्: supreme; further
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तीर्थम् इत्यस्य)

• व्यासेश्वरम्: Vyāseśvara (name of a shrine)
• व्यासेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (व्यासस्य ईश्वरः)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (तीर्थम्)

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford; pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सिद्धेश्वरम्: Siddheśvara (name of a shrine)
• सिद्धेश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सिद्धानां/सिद्धः ईश्वरः)

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/also)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Revā Khaṇḍa pilgrimage narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śukla-tīrtha; Vyāseśvara-tīrtha; Siddheśvara (with Naleśvara, Mārkaṇḍa as associated stations)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim party walks along the Narmadā bank; small shrines appear in sequence—Naleśvara, Mārkaṇḍa, Śukla-tīrtha, Vyāseśvara, Siddheśvara—each marked by a liṅga under trees, with river glinting behind.

Characters & Entities

• Naleśvara
• Mārkaṇḍa
• Śukla-tīrtha
• Vyāseśvara
• Siddheśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas preserve the memory of sages and siddhas—pilgrimage is portrayed as entering their sanctified presence through Śiva’s shrines.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Naleśvara, Mārkaṇḍa, Śukla-tīrtha, Vyāseśvara, and Siddheśvara are named as important stations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is given; the verse serves as a navigational list of sacred destinations.