Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

अकामो वा सकामो वा अपि तीर्थगतोपि वा । स्वर्गद्वारे त्यजन्प्राणान्विष्णुलोके महीयते

Transliteration

akāmo vā sakāmo vā api tīrthagatopi vā | svargadvāre tyajanprāṇānviṣṇuloke mahīyate

Translation

Ob wunschlos oder voller Wünsche—selbst wenn man nur zum Tīrtha gelangt ist—wer am Svargadvāra das Leben hingibt, wird in Viṣṇus Welt geehrt.

Word by Word

• akāmaḥ: Desireless
• akāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akāma (a-kāma)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• vā: Or
• vā: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• sakāmaḥ: With desire
• sakāmaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sakāma (sa-kāma)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• api: Even/Also
• api: None
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• tīrthagataḥ: Gone to the pilgrimage
• tīrthagataḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīrthagata (tīrtha-gata)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• svargadvāre: At Svargadvara
• svargadvāre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svargadvāra (svarga-dvāra)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tyajan: Abandoning/Giving up
• tyajan: Visheshana (Adjective)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Present Active Participle (Shatri), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• prāṇān: Life breaths/Life
• prāṇān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• viṣṇuloke: In Vishnu's world
• viṣṇuloke: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇuloka (viṣṇu-loka)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• mahīyate: Is worshipped/honored
• mahīyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: mah (धातु)
• Form: Lat Lakara (Present), Passive (Karmani), Prathama Purusha (3rd), Singular

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced; Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa dialogue style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Svargadvāra

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred gateway-ghāṭ called Svargadvāra: pilgrims arrive with mixed motives; an elder devotee relinquishes breath while priests chant; a luminous path or Viṣṇu’s attendants symbolically receive the soul toward Viṣṇu-loka.

Characters & Entities

• Svargadvāra
• Viṣṇuloka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The tīrtha’s grace is shown as overriding inner variability; the place itself is a decisive spiritual cause.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Svargadvāra in Ayodhyā.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it contrasts akāma/sakāma states and emphasizes the fruit of departing life at the holy spot.