Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 23

Devanagari script

तत्पादसौरभघ्राणसंयुतं विष्णुवल्लभम् । सगीतं सार्चनकरं तत्क्षेत्रगमनान्वितम्

Transliteration

tatpādasaurabhaghrāṇasaṃyutaṃ viṣṇuvallabham | sagītaṃ sārcanakaraṃ tatkṣetragamanānvitam

Translation

—sich am Duft Seiner Füße erfreuend, dem Viṣṇu Teuren; mit Gesang, in Arcana (Verehrung) tätig; und begleitet von der Pilgerfahrt zu Seinem heiligen Bezirk.

Word by Word

• tat: of that (his)
• tat: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद; तद् = 'उसके')

• pāda: foot
• pāda: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• saurabha: fragrance
• saurabha: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saurabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• ghrāṇa: smelling, scenting
• ghrāṇa: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ghrāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• saṃyutam: endowed with, joined with
• saṃyutam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṃ-yuj (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• viṣṇu: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇu: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• vallabham: beloved (of Viṣṇu)
• vallabham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vallabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण/उपाधि

• sa: with (prefix)
• sa: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय; सहार्थक)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय (prefix-like), 'स-' = 'सहित/युक्त'

• gītam: song, singing
• gītam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīta (प्रातिपदिक; √gai क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'गीत'

• sa: with (prefix)
• sa: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sa (अव्यय; सहार्थक)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश अव्यय (prefix-like), 'स-' = 'सहित/युक्त'

• arcana: worship
• arcana: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• karam: doing, performing
• karam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण; 'कर' = 'कर्ता/करने वाला'

• tat: of that (his/that)
• tat: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• kṣetra: holy place, field
• kṣetra: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• gamana: going, visit
• gamana: Sambandha (Genitive-relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gamana (प्रातिपदिक; √gam ल्युट्)
• Form: कृदन्त (ल्युट्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद)

• anvitam: accompanied by, endowed with
• anvitam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-i (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devotees approach the sanctum singing; a worshipper bows near the deity’s feet, receiving pāda-tīrtha; garlands and sandal paste suggest fragrance; the group proceeds through the kṣetra in a small pilgrimage circuit.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• pāda-saurabha
• kṣetra (holy place)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti becomes complete when it unites sensory reverence (humble adoration), worship, song, and pilgrimage to sacred spaces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse speaks generally of ‘His kṣetra’ (the Lord’s holy precincts) without naming a particular tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Engage in singing (gīta), perform arcana (worship), and undertake kṣetra-gamana (pilgrimage to the Lord’s sacred place).