Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

लंकासमीपे दृष्ट्वैव सरः कृष्णोऽब्रवीद्वचः । कुरुशार्दूल पश्येदं सरो द्वादशयोजनम्

Transliteration

laṃkāsamīpe dṛṣṭvaiva saraḥ kṛṣṇo'bravīdvacaḥ | kuruśārdūla paśyedaṃ saro dvādaśayojanam

Translation

In der Nähe von Laṅkā, sobald er einen See erblickte, sprach Kṛṣṇa: „O Tiger unter den Kurus, sieh diesen See—seine Ausdehnung beträgt zwölf Yojanas.“

Word by Word

• लङ्कासमीपे: near Laṅkā
• लङ्कासमीपे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का-समীপ (प्रातिपदिक; लङ्का + समीप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (लङ्कायाः समीपे)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having seen’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• सरः: lake
• सरः: Karma (Object seen/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म) एकवचन; ‘सरः’ (acc.=nom. in neuter)

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/कर्ता), एकवचन

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वचः: words
• वचः: Karma (Object spoken/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन; ‘words/speech’

• कुरुशार्दूल: O tiger among the Kurus
• कुरुशार्दूल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु-शार्दूल (प्रातिपदिक; कुरु + शार्दूल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास

• पश्य: see
• पश्य: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/कर्म), एकवचन

• सरः: lake
• सरः: Karma (Appositional object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; वाक्ये ‘इदम् सरः’ इति (apposition)

• द्वादशयोजनम्: twelve-yojana (in extent)
• द्वादशयोजनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश-योजन (प्रातिपदिक; द्वादश + योजन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वादश योजनानि प्रमाणम्)

Speaker

Kṛṣṇa (Keśava)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Unnamed Mahā-saras near Laṅkā (dvādaśa-yojana)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From the sky near Laṅkā, Kṛṣṇa points to an immense lake shimmering like dark sapphire; Bhīma looks down in astonishment; the shoreline curves beyond sight.

Characters & Entities

• Kṛṣṇa
• Bhīma
• Laṅkā
• Saraḥ (lake)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇas sanctify geography by divine attention—when the Lord points to a place, it becomes spiritually significant to remember and honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A lake near Laṅkā is indicated, but its proper tīrtha-name is not given in this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse.