Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 123

Devanagari script

गयातीर्थं गतं तं च गयाध्वंसनकाम्यया । बुध एव जगत्स्वामी तत्र तं सूदयिष्यति

Transliteration

gayātīrthaṃ gataṃ taṃ ca gayādhvaṃsanakāmyayā | budha eva jagatsvāmī tatra taṃ sūdayiṣyati

Translation

And when he goes to the Gayā-tīrtha, desiring the destruction of Gayā (his foe), Budha himself—the Lord of the world—will there slay him.

Word by Word

• गयातीर्थम्: the Gayā pilgrimage-ford
• गयातीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गयायाः तीर्थम्)

• गतम्: gone/reached
• गतम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Object qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘गत’ = gone/reached (qualifying ‘गयातीर्थम्’)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• गयाध्वंसनकाम्यया: through the desire to destroy Gayā
• गयाध्वंसनकाम्यया: Hetu/Karana (Cause/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गया (प्रातिपदिक) + ध्वंसन (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव) + काम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; समासः—(गयायाः ध्वंसनम्) तत् काम्यते इति ‘गयाध्वंसनकाम्या’

• बुधः: Budha (Mercury)
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• जगत्स्वामी: lord of the world
• जगत्स्वामी: Karta (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः स्वामी)

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

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सूदयिष्यति: will kill/slay
• सूदयिष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सूद् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Devī (Goddess)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gayā-tīrtha

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pāṇḍavas

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prophetic tableau: Budha (Mercury-deity), radiant and sovereign, appears at Gayā-tīrtha; the foe named ‘Gayā’ is confronted and struck down amid sacred riverbanks and śrāddha altars.

Characters & Entities

• Gayā-tīrtha
• Budha
• Gaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrthas are not merely locations; they are dharmic centers where adharma is checked and cosmic order is restored through divine agency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Gayā-tīrtha is explicitly named and presented as the decisive sacred setting for the defeat of the oppressor.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated; the verse emphasizes the sanctity and decisive spiritual power associated with reaching Gayā-tīrtha.