Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

विगाह्य तत्र तीर्थानि देवतायतनानि च । इष्टापूर्तादिकं सर्वं कृतं तेन यथेप्सितम्

Transliteration

vigāhya tatra tīrthāni devatāyatanāni ca | iṣṭāpūrtādikaṃ sarvaṃ kṛtaṃ tena yathepsitam

Translation

Bathing there in the tīrthas and visiting the sanctuaries of the deities, he performed, as he wished, every meritorious act—such as iṣṭa and pūrta.

Word by Word

• विगाह्य: having entered (and bathed)
• विगाह्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-गाह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभावः; ‘having entered/bathed’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• तीर्थानि: sacred fords/pilgrimage spots
• तीर्थानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• देवतायतनानि: temples/shrines of deities
• देवतायतनानि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता-आयतन (प्रातिपदिक; देवता + आयतन)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवतानाम् आयतनानि)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इष्टापूर्तादिकं: sacrificial and charitable acts, etc.
• इष्टापूर्तादिकं: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इष्ट-आपূर्त-आदिक (प्रातिपदिक; इष्ट + आपूर्त + आदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (इष्टं च आपूर्तं च) + ‘आदि’ (etc.)

• सर्वं: all
• सर्वं: Karma (कर्म/Object-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (इष्टापूर्तादिकम्)

• कृतं: was done
• कृतं: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘was done’

• तेन: by him
• तेन: Karana (करण/Agent-Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (manner: ‘as’)

• ईप्सितम्: desired/wished
• ईप्सितम्: Prakara (प्रकार/Manner-Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईप्सित (प्रातिपदिक; √आप्/ईप्स् भाव)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used adjectivally), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘desired’

Speaker

Sūta (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dharmāraṇya tīrthas (collective)

Type: kund

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The pilgrim-king bathes at a tīrtha pool/river bend, then proceeds to small shrines nestled in the forest, offering flowers, lamps, and gifts; scenes of feeding ascetics and building/repairing public works symbolize pūrta.

Characters & Entities

• Dharmāraṇya
• Tīrthas
• Devatāyatanas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage is fulfilled by both inner devotion and outward dharma—bathing in tīrthas, honoring shrines, and performing charitable/ritual merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The tīrthas within Dharmāraṇya, along with its deity-shrines.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-snāna (immersion), visiting devatāyatana (temples), and performing iṣṭa-pūrta (sacrificial and charitable works).