Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 40

Devanagari script

ब्रवीतु कोऽपि सर्वेषां तीर्थानां तेषु वर्तताम् । यद्यैश्वर्यं नार्हतेसौ महीसागरसंगमः

Transliteration

bravītu ko'pi sarveṣāṃ tīrthānāṃ teṣu vartatām | yadyaiśvaryaṃ nārhatesau mahīsāgarasaṃgamaḥ

Translation

“Let anyone speak of all the tīrthas that exist; if this confluence of earth (or river) and ocean does not deserve eminence, then what possibly could?”

Word by Word

• ब्रवीतु: let (him) say
• ब्रवीतु: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/विधिलिङ् sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); परस्मैपदम्

• कः: who
• कः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तीर्थानाम्: of the sacred fords/pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तेषु: among them/in those
• तेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Masculine/Neuter), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वर्तताम्: let them exist/prevail
• वर्तताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural); आत्मनेपदम्

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्धबोधक-अव्यय (conditional conjunction)

• ऐश्वर्यम्: supremacy/excellence
• ऐश्वर्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अर्हते: deserves/is worthy of
• अर्हते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपदम्

• असौ: that (one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• महीसागर-संगमः: the confluence of land and ocean
• महीसागर-संगमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक) + सागर (प्रातिपदिक) + संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'confluence of earth/land and ocean')

Speaker

Guha (Skanda/Kārttikeya)

Characters & Entities

• Guha
• Tīrthas
• Mahī-sāgara-saṅgama

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred geography is measured by spiritual potency, not by prideful proclamation; true eminence is intrinsic.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A coastal confluence—mahī-sāgara-saṅgama (land–ocean meeting)—is upheld as supremely worthy among tīrthas.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None in this verse; it asserts the tīrtha’s greatness rather than prescribing a rite.