Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

अचला हिमवन्मुख्याः कल्पवृक्षादयो नगाः । स्नातुं माघे समायांति प्रयागमरुणोदये

Transliteration

acalā himavanmukhyāḥ kalpavṛkṣādayo nagāḥ | snātuṃ māghe samāyāṃti prayāgamaruṇodaye

Translation

The immovable sacred ones—the great mountains headed by Himavān, and even the Kalpavṛkṣa and others—come to Prayāga at dawn in the month of Māgha to bathe.

Word by Word

• अचलाः: mountains
• अचलाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• हिमवत्-मुख्याः: with Himavat as chief
• हिमवत्-मुख्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; समासः तत्पुरुषः (हिमवत् मुख्यः)

• कल्पवृक्ष-आदयः: (those) beginning with the wish-fulfilling tree
• कल्पवृक्ष-आदयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्पवृक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural; समासः तत्पुरुषः (‘कल्पवृक्षः आदिः येषाम्’)

• नगाः: mountains
• नगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन — Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• स्नातुम्: to bathe
• स्नातुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive) — Infinitive (‘to bathe’)

• माघे: in (the month of) Māgha
• माघे: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular (time-locative)

• समायान्ति: come together/arrive
• समायान्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + या (धातु) + सम् (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन — Present, Active, 3rd person, Plural

• प्रयागम्: to Prayāga
• प्रयागम्: Karma (Goal/Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• अरुण-उदये: at sunrise (reddening dawn)
• अरुण-उदये: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन — Masculine, Locative, Singular; तत्पुरुषः (अरुणस्य उदयः)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prayāga

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At rosy dawn, the sangam is bathed in aruṇa light; Himavān and other mountains appear as colossal personified beings approaching the river; the Kalpavṛkṣa is shown as a divine tree moving or manifesting near the bank, all intent on bathing.

Characters & Entities

• Himavān (Himalaya)
• Kalpavṛkṣa
• Māgha
• Prayāga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Māgha-snāna at Prayāga is portrayed as so powerful that even exalted cosmic beings are drawn to perform it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prayāga, especially the practice of bathing at aruṇodaya (dawn).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Māgha-month snāna at Prayāga, performed at sunrise/dawn (aruṇodaya).