Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 32

Devanagari script

गुह्याद्गुह्यतरं तीर्थं सदा गोप्यं कृतं मया । सर्वपापहरं पुण्यं सर्वदोषघ्नमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

guhyādguhyataraṃ tīrthaṃ sadā gopyaṃ kṛtaṃ mayā | sarvapāpaharaṃ puṇyaṃ sarvadoṣaghnamuttamam

Translation

This is a tīrtha more secret than the secret itself, kept concealed by me always—holy, supreme, removing all sins and destroying every fault.

Word by Word

• गुह्यात्: than (what is) secret
• गुह्यात्: Apādāna (Comparison point)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative); एकवचन; तुलनाबिन्दु (ablative of comparison: than secret)

• गुह्यतरम्: more secret
• गुह्यतरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्यतर (प्रातिपदिक; तरप्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative adjective)

• तीर्थम्: pilgrimage-place
• तीर्थम्: Karma/Pratipādya (Topic/that which is described)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (always)

• गोप्यम्: to be kept secret
• गोप्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गोप्य (कृदन्त; √गुप्/√गोपाय् ‘to conceal/protect’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण (gerundive/नीयत्-भाव: ‘to be kept secret’)

• कृतम्: made
• कृतम्: Kriyā (with implied ‘अस्ति’: has been made)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त; √कृ ‘to do/make’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (PPP)

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (Agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• सर्वपापहरम्: removing all sins
• सर्वपापहरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-पाप-हर (प्रातिपदिक); सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + हर (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण तीर्थस्य

• पुण्यम्: holy
• पुण्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (holy/meritorious)

• सर्वदोषघ्नम्: destroying all faults
• सर्वदोषघ्नम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-दोष-घ्न (प्रातिपदिक); सर्व + दोष + घ्न
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण

• उत्तमम्: supreme
• उत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Unspecified in snippet (custodian/revealer of the tīrtha’s secret)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śūlabheda

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: king (nṛpa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The tīrtha is depicted as hidden—perhaps a secluded pool or cleft marked by a trident sign—guarded by natural barriers; the narrator gestures as if entrusting a secret, while the king listens attentively.

Characters & Entities

• Śūlabheda (contextual tīrtha)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Some sacred practices and places are treated as ‘guhya’—to be approached with reverence, purity, and eligibility—yet they grant vast purification.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The secret tīrtha identified as Śūlabheda in this Adhyāya’s context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is named; the verse emphasizes the tīrtha’s exceptional status and purificatory power.