Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । ततो गच्छेत्तु राजेन्द्र अग्नितीर्थमनुत्तमम् । यत्र संनिहितो ह्यग्निर्गतः कामेन मोहितः

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | tato gacchettu rājendra agnitīrthamanuttamam | yatra saṃnihito hyagnirgataḥ kāmena mohitaḥ

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya sprach: Dann, o Bester der Könige, soll man zum unvergleichlichen Agnitīrtha gehen, wo Agni selbst gegenwärtig ist, denn einst kam er dorthin, vom Verlangen betört und verwirrt.

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; काल/अनुक्रम-वाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of sequence: 'then/from there')

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अवधान/विरोधार्थ (emphasis/contrast)

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अग्नितीर्थम्: the Agni-tīrtha (sacred ford of Agni)
• अग्नितीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, excellent
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifier) अग्नितीर्थम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक-प्रश्न/यद्-शब्द-सम्बन्धी (relative adverb: 'where')

• संनिहितः: present, stationed
• संनिहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-नि-धा (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier) अग्निः

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (indeed/for)

• अग्निः: Agni (fire-god)
• अग्निः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• गतः: gone, having gone
• गतः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अग्निः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कामेन: by desire/love
• कामेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• मोहितः: deluded, infatuated
• मोहितः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अग्निः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Agnitīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (addressed as rājendra)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A riverbank tīrtha on the Revā: a small altar with a perpetual flame; Agni-deva depicted with radiant body and flames, yet with a softened, bewildered gaze suggesting kāma-moha; a kingly pilgrim entourage approaching respectfully.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Agni
• Agnitīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even devas become instructive symbols: the tīrtha preserves a story that turns human weakness into a lesson in purification and dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Agnitīrtha, introduced as anuttama (unsurpassed) within the Revā Khaṇḍa pilgrimage landscape.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gacchet: a pilgrimage instruction—one should go/visit Agnitīrtha.