Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

तत्र तस्यैव तीरस्थो वीक्षांचक्रे समाहितः । कार्तिक्यां कृत्तिकायोगे चिह्नदर्शनलालसः

Transliteration

tatra tasyaiva tīrastho vīkṣāṃcakre samāhitaḥ | kārtikyāṃ kṛttikāyoge cihnadarśanalālasaḥ

Translation

Dort, auf eben jenem Ufer stehend, hielt er mit gesammelt konzentriertem Geist Ausschau—begierig, das heilige Zeichen zu erblicken, wenn im Monat Kārttika die Verbindung mit Kṛttikā eintrat.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक)

• तस्य: of that (place/thing)
• तस्य: Sambandha (Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Genitive singular

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण-निपात)

• तीरस्थः: standing on the bank
• तीरस्थः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीर + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (तीरे स्थितः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Nominative singular; विशेषणम्

• वीक्षाम्: a look/observation
• वीक्षाम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Accusative singular

• चक्रे: made/did
• चक्रे: Kriya (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• समाहितः: composed, concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta (Subject attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + आ + हित (कृदन्त; √धा (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Nominative singular; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

• कार्तिक्याम्: in (the month of) Kārttika
• कार्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana (Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्तिकी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Locative singular (time)

• कृत्तिकायोगे: at the conjunction with Kṛttikā (nakṣatra)
• कृत्तिकायोगे: Adhikarana (Time/occasion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्तिका + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कृत्तिकायाः योगः); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Locative singular

• चिह्नदर्शनलालसः: eager to see the sign
• चिह्नदर्शनलालसः: Karta (Subject attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिह्न + दर्शन + लालस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चिह्नस्य दर्शनाय लालसः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन = Nominative singular; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative continuation; context leads into Sūta’s reply later)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jyeṣṭha Puṣkara

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: brāhmaṇas/sages (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A solitary devotee/brāhmaṇa stands on the lake’s edge at dawn-night threshold, hands folded, gaze fixed on the water, awaiting the Kṛttikā moment in Kārttika; stars fade as moonlight shimmers.

Characters & Entities

• Kārttika
• Kṛttikā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred time (kāla) intensifies sacred place (deśa): disciplined attention and devotion prepare one to receive tīrtha-darśana.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara tīrtha, specifically its bank where the ‘cihna’ is awaited.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Observing the Kārttika–Kṛttikā-yoga as an auspicious occasion for seeking the tīrtha’s special sign (cihna-darśana).