Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

पुरा निमित्ते कस्मिंश्चित्सर्वतीर्थाधिदैवताः । प्रणामाय ब्रह्मसदो ब्रह्माणं सहिता ययुः

Transliteration

purā nimitte kasmiṃścitsarvatīrthādhidaivatāḥ | praṇāmāya brahmasado brahmāṇaṃ sahitā yayuḥ

Translation

Einst, bei einer bestimmten Gelegenheit, gingen die leitenden Gottheiten aller Tīrthas gemeinsam zu Brahmā, der in der göttlichen Versammlung thront, um sich ehrfürchtig vor ihm zu verneigen.

Word by Word

• purā: formerly
• purā: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• nimitte: on an occasion
• nimitte: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन

• kasmiṃcit: on some (occasion)
• kasmiṃcit: Adhikarana (Occasion/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + cit (अव्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम with अव्यय 'cit' (indefinite)

• sarvatīrthādhidaivatāḥ: the presiding deities of all tīrthas
• sarvatīrthādhidaivatāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva-tīrtha-adhi-daivatā (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + तीर्थ + अधि + दैवता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन

• praṇāmāya: for paying obeisance
• praṇāmāya: Sampradana (Purpose/Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: praṇāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी विभक्ति (4th/Dative); एकवचन

• brahmasadaḥ: from the assembly of Brahmā (Brahmā’s court)
• brahmasadaḥ: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahma-sadas (प्रातिपदिक; ब्रह्म + सदस्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी विभक्ति (5th/Ablative); बहुवचन

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā
• brahmāṇam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति; एकवचन

• sahitāḥ: together, accompanied
• sahitāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sahita (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √sah)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति; बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) used adjectivally (agreeing with daivatāḥ)

• yayuḥ: went
• yayuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष; बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (contextual attribution for Māheśvarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarva-tīrtha-adhidaivata-samāgama (assembly of presiding deities of all tīrthas)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Arjuna

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand celestial court: Brahmā seated in assembly; a procession of radiant tīrtha-deities arrives together, hands folded, bearing emblems of their respective sacred sites (lotus-lakes, seashore conch, mountain peaks, river jars).

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sarvatīrtha-adhidaivatāḥ (deities presiding over all tīrthas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even the greatest holy places are upheld by divine order and humility; reverence (praṇāma) is foundational to dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is isolated; the verse introduces the collective glory of all tīrthas through their presiding deities.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The act implied is praṇāma (salutation), a core devotional practice that precedes other merits.