Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

मनोहारि यतः स्थानं सर्वेषां वै दिवौकसाम् । तीर्थं विशिष्टं तन्मत्वा स्थितो देवो महेश्वरः

Transliteration

manohāri yataḥ sthānaṃ sarveṣāṃ vai divaukasām | tīrthaṃ viśiṣṭaṃ tanmatvā sthito devo maheśvaraḥ

Translation

Because that place was enchanting to behold for all the dwellers of heaven, Maheśvara, knowing it to be an exceptional tīrtha, took his stand there.

Word by Word

• मनोहारि: charming, captivating
• मनोहारि: Karma/Adhikaraṇa-viśeṣaṇa (qualifier of sthāna)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस् + हारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मनसः हारि = mind-stealing); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with स्थानम्)

• यतः: where/from which
• यतः: Sambandha (relative connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb), ‘where/from which’

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karma/Adhikaraṇa (place as topic/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी, बहुवचन (gen. pl.)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• दिवौकसाम्: of the heavenly dwellers (gods)
• दिवौकसाम्: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दिवि ओकः यस्य/ये = dwellers in heaven; conventional noun); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (gen. pl.)

• तीर्थम्: sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• विशिष्टम्: excellent, distinguished
• विशिष्टम्: Karma-viśeṣaṇa (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-शिष् (धातु) → विशिष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तीर्थम् विशेषण

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object of matvā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (acc. sg.)

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावेन; धातु: मन् (to think/consider)

• स्थितः: stayed/remained
• स्थितः: Kriya (Predicate/State)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past participle used predicatively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवः इति विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Viśiṣṭa-tīrtha near Revā (unnamed in verse)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nṛpa (King)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant riverside tīrtha: flowering trees, clear light, devas gazing in wonder; Śiva stands firmly, acknowledging the place’s exceptional sanctity.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Śiva)
• Divaukas (Devas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A tīrtha is ‘viśiṣṭa’ not merely by beauty but by divine recognition—Śiva’s abiding presence sanctifies geography into dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā Khaṇḍa context points to the Śūlabheda/Cakatīrtha zone that the following verses describe in detail.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse asserts the site’s special status, preparing for later bathing/observance statements.