Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

सर्वतीर्थमयस्तद्वन्महीसागरसंगमः । अर्धनारीश्वरं रूपं यथा रुद्रस्य सर्वदम्

Transliteration

sarvatīrthamayastadvanmahīsāgarasaṃgamaḥ | ardhanārīśvaraṃ rūpaṃ yathā rudrasya sarvadam

Translation

Likewise, the confluence of the Mahī River and the ocean is itself made of all tīrthas. It is like Rudra’s form as Ardhanārīśvara, bestowing every blessing.

Word by Word

• sarva-tīrtha-mayaḥ: consisting of all sacred places
• sarva-tīrtha-mayaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक) + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: सर्वैः तीर्थैः मयः (तृतीया-तत्पुरुष/बहुव्रीह्यर्थसन्निकर्ष)

• tadvat: likewise
• tadvat: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadvat (अव्यय)
• Form: तद्वत्-प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (likewise)

• mahī-sāgara-saṃgamaḥ: the confluence of earth and ocean
• mahī-sāgara-saṃgamaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक) + sāgara (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन; समासः: मह्याः सागरस्य च संगमः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; समुच्चयार्थ)

• ardha-nārī-īśvaram: Ardhanārīśvara (half-female Lord)
• ardha-nārī-īśvaram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + nārī (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म/विशेष्य), एकवचन; समासः: अर्धं नारी च ईश्वरः (अर्धनारीश्वरः) इति कर्मधारयः

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (Comparison/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/just as)

• rudrasya: of Rudra
• rudrasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• sarva-dam: bestowing all (boons)
• sarva-dam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + da (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from √dā/√dā?)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: सर्वं ददाति इति सर्वद (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कृदन्ताधारित)

Speaker

Devas (in the ongoing dialogue; later affirmed by Kapila and Maheśvara in this adhyāya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mahī–Sāgara Saṅgama

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Mahī river pours into the ocean; above the meeting waters appears Ardhanārīśvara—half Śiva, half Pārvatī—radiant and balanced. Pilgrims stand at the shore with folded hands as the confluence glows like a living deity.

Characters & Entities

• Mahī (river)
• Sāgara (ocean)
• Rudra (Śiva)
• Ardhanārīśvara

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A true tīrtha is a concentrated field of merit; approaching it with devotion yields comprehensive spiritual benefit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Mahī–Sāgara Saṅgama, the confluence where the Mahī river meets the ocean.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is prescribed here; the verse establishes the site’s all-bestowing sanctity as a basis for pilgrimage acts like snāna and worship.