Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

कर्तुमिच्छाम्यहं सम्यक्तीर्थयानं चतुर्मुख । आगच्छन्तु मया सार्द्धं ये यूयमिह संगताः

Transliteration

kartumicchāmyahaṃ samyaktīrthayānaṃ caturmukha | āgacchantu mayā sārddhaṃ ye yūyamiha saṃgatāḥ

Translation

„O Viergesichtiger, ich wünsche in rechter Weise eine Pilgerfahrt zu den heiligen Tīrthas zu unternehmen. Kommt mit mir, ihr alle, die ihr euch hier versammelt habt.“

Word by Word

• कर्तुम्: to do, to perform
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कर्तुम् (तुमुन्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive), अव्ययभाव; क्रियार्थक

• इच्छामि: I wish
• इच्छामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• तीर्थयानम्: a pilgrimage (tīrtha-journey)
• तीर्थयानम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तीर्थ-यानम् = ‘pilgrimage/journey to tīrthas’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• चतुर्मुख: O four-faced one (Brahmā)
• चतुर्मुख: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (चतुर्मुखः = ‘four-faced’, epithet of Brahmā); पुल्लिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• आगच्छन्तु: let (them) come
• आगच्छन्तु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मया: with me
• मया: Sahakari (Companion-instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• सार्द्धम्: together with
• सार्द्धम्: Sambandha (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्द्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together)

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

• यूयम्: you (all)
• यूयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• संगताः: assembled, gathered
• संगताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-गम् (धातु) → संगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘यूयम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (as the forthcoming starting point)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva addresses Brahmā with resolve, gesturing forward as if indicating a journey; devas gather with travel readiness—water pots, garlands, and banners—suggesting a sacred procession.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Brahmā (Caturmukha)
• Tīrtha-yātrā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage (tīrtha-yātrā) is presented as a dharmic means of purification and renewal, undertaken with proper intent (samyak).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse introduces tīrtha-yātrā in general; specific tīrthas are named in the subsequent verses.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Undertaking a proper tīrtha-yātrā is the implied prescription.