Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

सर्वतीर्थं महापुण्यं महापातकनाशनम् । महापातकयुक्तो वा युक्तो वा सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

sarvatīrthaṃ mahāpuṇyaṃ mahāpātakanāśanam | mahāpātakayukto vā yukto vā sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

Sarvatīrtha ist von höchstem Verdienst und vernichtet selbst die großen Sünden. Ob einer mit einem mahāpātaka belastet ist oder in allerlei Sünden verstrickt—

Word by Word

• सर्वतीर्थम्: the all-(encompassing) sacred ford; all holy places
• सर्वतीर्थम्: Visheshya (Predicate/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सर्वं तीर्थम्)

• महापुण्यम्: greatly meritorious
• महापुण्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• महापातकनाशनम्: destroyer of great sins
• महापातकनाशनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + पातक + नाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महापातकस्य नाशनम्)

• महापातकयुक्तः: one afflicted/associated with great sin
• महापातकयुक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महā + पातक + युक्त (युज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महापातकेन युक्तः/महापातकयुक्तः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपातः (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• युक्तः: associated/connected (with)
• युक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (युज् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्तः

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपातः

• सर्वपातकैः: with all sins
• सर्वपातकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + पातक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (सर्वाणि पातकानि)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarvatīrtha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous coastal tīrtha with pilgrims approaching; the water is depicted as containing symbolic presences of many rivers and sacred sites, while shadowy ‘sins’ recoil at its edge.

Characters & Entities

• Sarvatīrtha
• Mahāpātaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic tīrthas are portrayed as radically purifying—capable of cleansing even grave moral-spiritual stains.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarvatīrtha is directly praised as mahāpuṇya and mahāpātaka-nāśana.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse sets up eligibility (even for sinners) for tīrtha practice; the implied rite is snāna in Sarvatīrtha (made explicit in adjacent verses).