Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 9

Devanagari script

प्रवक्ष्यामि विशेषेण शृणुत द्विजसत्तमाः । पुरा हिमवतः पार्श्वे नानामुनिसमाकुले

Transliteration

pravakṣyāmi viśeṣeṇa śṛṇuta dvijasattamāḥ | purā himavataḥ pārśve nānāmunisamākule

Translation

Ich werde es ausführlich darlegen—hört zu, o beste der Brāhmaṇas. Einst, nahe dem Himavat, in einer Gegend, die von vielen Weisen erfüllt war,—

Word by Word

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विशेषेण: in detail/specially
• विशेषेण: Kriya-viseshana (Manner/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (instrumental used adverbially)

• शृणुत: listen (you all)
• शृणुत: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• द्विजसत्तमाः: O best of the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज-सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक; द्विज + सत्तम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (vocative sense)

• पुरा: formerly
• पुरा: Kriya-viseshana (Time/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: formerly)

• हिमवतः: of Himavat (the Himalaya)
• हिमवतः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• पार्श्वे: at the side/near
• पार्श्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• नाना: various
• नाना: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable: various)

• मुनि: sages
• मुनि: Sambandha (Compound member/समासाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासपूर्वपद (as prior member in compound)

• समाकुले: crowded/filled
• समाकुले: Adhikarana (Location qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implied स्थानम्/पार्श्वे)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Amṛtavāpī (origin narrative begins in Himavat region)

Type: kund

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Dwijasattamas/ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Himalayan foothill scene: snow peaks in distance, dense forest, multiple sages’ hermitages, sacrificial fires, deer and birds; the narrative camera prepares to reveal the event that led to Amṛtavāpī.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Himavat (Himalaya)
• Ṛṣis (many sages)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha greatness is rooted in sacred history; hearing the origin account deepens faith and right understanding.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The forthcoming account concerns Amṛtavāpī/Amṛtavāpikā, introduced via an ancient setting near Himavat.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Śravaṇa (listening) is urged—‘listen in detail’—as the proper approach to tīrtha-māhātmya.