Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

कतमं शंखतीर्थं तत्कस्मिन्स्थाने व्यवस्थितम् । किंप्रभावं च निःशेषं सर्वं विस्तरतो वद

Transliteration

katamaṃ śaṃkhatīrthaṃ tatkasminsthāne vyavasthitam | kiṃprabhāvaṃ ca niḥśeṣaṃ sarvaṃ vistarato vada

Translation

“What is that sacred ford called Śaṅkhatīrtha, and in what place is it established? What is its power? Tell everything fully, in detail, without remainder.”

Word by Word

• कतमम्: which
• कतमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-विशेषण

• शंखतीर्थम्: Śaṅkha-tīrtha
• शंखतीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंख + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कस्मिन्: in which
• कस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम

• स्थाने: place
• स्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• व्यवस्थितम्: situated/established
• व्यवस्थितम्: Karma (Object complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त/भूतकर्मणि (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्थितम् = situated)

• किंप्रभावम्: what (is its) power/effect
• किंप्रभावम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (कः प्रभावः = what power/effect)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• निःशेषम्: entirely, without remainder
• निःशेषम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निःशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (adverbially: completely)

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनामसदृश-विशेषण (used substantively)

• विस्तरतः: in detail
• विस्तरतः: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विस्तर (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb), तसिल्-प्रत्ययार्थ (in detail)

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sages (Ṛṣayaḥ) to Sūta (deduced from immediate reply “Sūta uvāca” in next verse)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Śaṅkhatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brāhmaṇas/Ṛṣis

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An assembly of brāhmaṇas respectfully questions the narrator about the exact identity, location, and miraculous efficacy of Śaṅkhatīrtha, as if consulting a sacred map.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkhatīrtha

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A seeker should inquire precisely into the place, power, and practice connected with a tīrtha, because sacred geography in the Purāṇas is meant to be understood and lived.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Śaṅkhatīrtha, introduced as a notable tīrtha within the Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Māhātmya of the Nāgara-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly here; the verse is an inquiry that sets up the forthcoming description of the tīrtha’s prabhāva and associated observances.