Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

तत्र पुण्यतरोर्मूले निषण्णोऽथ गुरुः स्वयम् । पुण्यतीर्थजले स्नातं राजानं समुपोषितम्

Transliteration

tatra puṇyatarormūle niṣaṇṇo'tha guruḥ svayam | puṇyatīrthajale snātaṃ rājānaṃ samupoṣitam

Translation

There, at the root of a sacred tree, the guru himself sat down; and the king—bathed in the waters of that holy tīrtha and observing a fast—stood prepared.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण) — indeclinable adverb of place

• पुण्यतरॊः: of the more sacred (tree)
• पुण्यतरॊः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्यतर (प्रातिपदिक; पुण्य + तर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन — Genitive singular; comparative adjective used substantively

• मूले: at the root
• मूले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular

• निषण्णः: seated
• निषण्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-षद् (धातु) → निषण्ण (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — past participle ‘seated’

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक निपात) — particle ‘then/now’

• गुरुः: the teacher
• गुरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन — Nominative singular

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta (Emphatic to subject/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्वार्थक/निपात) — indeclinable ‘himself’

• पुण्यतीर्थजले: in the water of the holy ford
• पुण्यतीर्थजले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य-तीर्थ-जल (प्रातिपदिक; पुण्य + तीर्थ + जल)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — Locative singular; षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य जलम्)

• स्नातम्: bathed
• स्नातम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्ना (धातु) → स्नात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular agreeing with राजानम्

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — Accusative singular

• समुपोषितम्: having fasted
• समुपोषितम्: Karma (Object qualifier/कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उप-उष् (धातु) → उपोषित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular agreeing with राजानम्; ‘having fasted’

Speaker

Sūta (narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene tīrtha grove: a venerable guru seated at the base of a sacred tree; nearby the king, freshly bathed, stands with folded hands, fasting and composed; waterbody glimmers in the background.

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Garga
• King
• Tīrtha
• Sacred tree

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Mantra and inner transformation are supported by outer discipline—purifying bath, fasting, and sacred setting.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A puṇya-tīrtha on the Kāliṅdī (Yamunā) bank (from the immediate context) is the setting.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna in tīrtha-water and upavāsa (fasting) as immediate preparation for receiving instruction.