Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः । तीर्थानि भगवानाह विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः

Transliteration

praṇamya sarvatīrthebhyaḥ prabaddhakarasaṃpuṭaḥ | tīrthāni bhagavānāha vismayotphullalocanaḥ

Translation

Having bowed to all the tīrthas with hands joined in reverence, the Blessed Lord (Brahmā) addressed the tīrthas, his eyes widened in wonder.

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya (पूर्वकर्म/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभावः; धातु: नम् (to bow) उपसर्ग: प्र-; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (having bowed)

• सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः: from all the tīrthas / to all sacred places (as object of salutation)
• सर्वतीर्थेभ्यः: Apadana (Source/अपा‍दान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), बहुवचन; समास: सर्वाणि तीर्थानि = सर्वतीर्थ (all sacred places)

• प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः: with folded hands
• प्रबद्धकरसंपुटः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रबद्ध + कर + संपुट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समास: प्रबद्धौ करौ यस्य सः (hands joined/with folded hands)

• तीर्थानि: the tīrthas (holy places)
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), बहुवचन

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु: अह् ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः: whose eyes were wide with amazement
• विस्मयोत्फुल्ललोचनः: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विस्मय + उत्फुल्ल + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन; समास: विस्मयेन उत्फुल्ले लोचने यस्य सः (eyes widened with wonder)

Speaker

Brahmā (as the one who speaks in this verse’s narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarvatīrtha (collective)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Brahmā, hands in añjali, bows before a radiant assembly of personified tīrthas; his eyes wide with astonishment as he begins to speak.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Sarvatīrtha (all sacred places)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence to tīrthas is itself a dharmic act; sacred places are worthy of worshipful honor.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

All tīrthas are collectively glorified as recipients of Brahmā’s praṇāma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Añjali (joined hands) and praṇāma (bowing) to tīrthas are explicitly described.