Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

स्नापनं चारभेत्तत्र मन्त्रशास्त्रविदुत्तमः । सहिरण्येन कुम्भेन पञ्चरत्नफलान्वितः

Transliteration

snāpanaṃ cārabhettatra mantraśāstraviduttamaḥ | sahiraṇyena kumbhena pañcaratnaphalānvitaḥ

Translation

Dort soll der vorzüglichste Kenner von Mantra und Rituallehre das Snāpana, das rituelle Bad, beginnen: mit einem Wasserkrug samt Gold, versehen mit der „Frucht“ der fünf Edelsteine.

Word by Word

• स्नापनम्: bathing/ablution (rite)
• स्नापनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नापन (प्रातिपदिक; स्ना धातोः णिच्-भावे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम्, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचनम्

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

• आरभेत्: should begin/undertake
• आरभेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रभ् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्

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

• मन्त्रशास्त्रविदुत्तमः: the best knower of mantra and śāstra
• मन्त्रशास्त्रविदुत्तमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचनम्; बहुपद-समासः (multi-member compound)

• सहिरण्येन: together with gold/with gold
• सहिरण्येन: Karana (Instrument qualifier/करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय-उपसर्गार्थे ‘सह’) + हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गम् (neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचनम्; ‘कुम्भेन’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; सह = ‘with’ (indeclinable as first member)

• कुम्भेन: with a pot
• कुम्भेन: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गम् (masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचनम्

• पञ्चरत्नफलान्वितः: endowed with five gems and fruits
• पञ्चरत्नफलान्वितः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (कृदन्त; अन्वि/अनु-इ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्तः, पुंलिङ्गम्, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; ‘मन्त्रशास्त्रविदुत्तमः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A learned ritualist begins snāpana at the tīrtha: a golden water-pot (kalaśa) set with five gems; assistants arrange vessels, flowers, and mantras are recited as water is poured in consecration.

Characters & Entities

• Snāpana (ritual bathing)
• Mantra-śāstra (ritual science)
• Pañcaratna (five gems)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha worship is strengthened by proper vidhi—mantra-guided ritual performed by a qualified officiant.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Mātṛ-related tīrtha of Revā Khaṇḍa Adhyāya 66.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A formal snāpana using a kumbha with gold and pañcaratna-associated auspicious offerings, led by a mantra-śāstra expert.