Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

एवमुक्त्वाथ सा देवी समानीयौषधीभृतान् । हेमकुंभान्सुतीर्थांभः परिपूर्णान्महोदयान्

Transliteration

evamuktvātha sā devī samānīyauṣadhībhṛtān | hemakuṃbhānsutīrthāṃbhaḥ paripūrṇānmahodayān

Translation

Nachdem die Göttin so gesprochen hatte, rief sie die Träger heilender Kräuter herbei und ließ goldene Krüge bringen—höchst glückverheißend und strahlend—bis zum Rand gefüllt mit Wasser aus einem vortrefflichen Tīrtha.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (Modifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• उक्त्वा: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तरबोधक अव्यय (particle: then)

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• देवी: the goddess
• देवी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• समानीय: having brought/assembled
• समानीय: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + √नी (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• औषधीभृतान्: those bearing herbs
• औषधीभृतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: औषधी (प्रातिपदिक) + भृत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √भृ (धातु) कृत्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—औषधीः बिभ्रति इति (bearers of herbs)

• हेमकुम्भान्: golden pots
• हेमकुम्भान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेम (प्रातिपदिक) + कुम्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—हेममयाः कुम्भाः

• सुतीर्थाम्भः: water of the sacred tīrtha
• सुतीर्थाम्भः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सुतीर्थस्य अम्भः (water of the good tīrtha)

• परिपूर्णान्: filled completely
• परिपूर्णान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिपूर्ण (कृदन्त; √पॄ (धातु) + परि- उपसर्ग)
• Form: भूतकालिक क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (कुम्भान्)

• महोदयान्: great/auspicious
• महोदयान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—महान् उदयः येषाम् (or: great/auspicious) विशेषण (कुम्भान्)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Su-tīrtha (excellent ford) supplying consecration water (name not specified in verse)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Goddess commands attendants carrying bundles of medicinal herbs; golden pitchers brim with shimmering tīrtha water, catching light; the scene is a ritual prelude filled with expectancy.

Characters & Entities

• Pārvatī (Devī)
• Su-tīrtha (excellent tīrtha)
• Hema-kumbha (golden pitchers)
• Auṣadhī (healing herbs)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred rites draw power from tīrtha-water and auspicious substances, expressing devotion through purity, fullness, and sanctified materials.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A “su-tīrtha” is referenced—an excellent sacred ford—without a proper name in this verse, reinforcing the sanctity of tīrtha-water itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Preparation for abhiṣeka: gathering auspicious vessels and tīrtha-water, along with herbal sanctifiers (auṣadhīs).