Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 132

Devanagari script

अश्वमेधादिभिर्यज्ञैरिष्टैश्चैवाप्तदक्षिणैः । सर्वव्रततपोभिश्च कृतैर्यत्पुण्यमाप्यते

Transliteration

aśvamedhādibhiryajñairiṣṭaiścaivāptadakṣiṇaiḥ | sarvavratatapobhiśca kṛtairyatpuṇyamāpyate

Translation

Whatever merit is gained by sacrifices beginning with the Aśvamedha, by rites duly performed with proper dakṣiṇā (priestly fees), and by undertaking every kind of vow and austerity—

Word by Word

• aśvamedha-ādibhiḥ: by (rites) such as the Aśvamedha
• aśvamedha-ādibhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvamedha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अश्वमेध-आदि)

• yajñaiḥ: by sacrifices
• yajñaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• iṣṭaiḥ: performed (duly)
• iṣṭaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: iṣṭa (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त from √yaj यज् यागे; ‘performed/desired sacrifice’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (yajñaiḥ)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed, just
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अवधारण (emphasis)

• āpta-dakṣiṇaiḥ: with the (proper) fees given/obtained
• āpta-dakṣiṇaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āpta (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त from √āp आप् प्राप्तौ) + dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (आप्ताः दक्षिणाः यस्य/येषां ते) विशेषणम् (yajñaiḥ)

• sarva-vrata-tapobhiḥ: by all vows and austerities
• sarva-vrata-tapobhiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (समाहार), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (सर्वाणि व्रतानि तपांसि च)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• kṛtaiḥ: done, performed
• kṛtaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त/भूतकृदन्त from √kṛ कृ करणे)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (vrata-tapobhiḥ / yajñaiḥ)

• yat-puṇyam: whatever merit
• yat-puṇyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम) + puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय

• āpyate: is obtained
• āpyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √āp (आप् प्राप्तौ)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced: Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Koṭitīrtha (implied)

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Assembly/pilgrims (implied)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic juxtaposition: on one side a grand Aśvamedha arena with priests and the sacrificial horse; on the other side a simple pilgrim at Koṭitīrtha performing snāna/dāna—both crowned by equal radiance of puṇya, suggesting equivalence.

Characters & Entities

• Aśvamedha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇa teaches that tīrtha-māhātmya can concentrate the merit of major sacrifices, vows, and austerities into accessible devotional practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Koṭitīrtha is the intended tīrtha, stated explicitly in the following verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Performance of yajñas (e.g., Aśvamedha), payment of dakṣiṇā, and observance of vrata and tapas are referenced as sources of puṇya.