Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

तीर्थामृतावगाहेन यथा पवित्रता नृणाम् । भवद्वाक्यामृताज्जाता तथा मम न संशयः

Transliteration

tīrthāmṛtāvagāhena yathā pavitratā nṛṇām | bhavadvākyāmṛtājjātā tathā mama na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Just as people are purified by immersion in the nectar-like waters of a sacred tīrtha, so too has my purification arisen from the nectar of your words—of this I have no doubt.

Word by Word

• तीर्थामृतावगाहेन: by immersion in the nectar-like tīrtha (waters)
• तीर्थामृतावगाहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थामृतावगाह (प्रातिपदिक) = तीर्थ + अमृत + अवगाह
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थस्य अमृतस्य अवगाहः)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Connector (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/तुलना-सूचक (comparative particle)

• पवित्रता: purity
• पवित्रता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्रता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• नृणाम्: of men; of people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• भवद्वाक्यामृतात्: from the nectar of your words
• भवद्वाक्यामृतात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवद्वाक्यामृत (प्रातिपदिक) = भवत् + वाक्य + अमृत
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (भवतः वाक्यस्य अमृतम्)

• जाता: is born; arises
• जाता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकालिक-कर्तरि कृदन्त (past active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (पवित्रता) इत्यस्य विधेयम्

• तथा: so; likewise
• तथा: Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत्/एवम् (correlative adverb)

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Negation (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrative voice within Tīrthamāhātmya (deductively: a disciple/listener addressing a revered sage)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Gālava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Close, contemplative moment: the sage speaks; the listener’s face softens, as if washed clean; behind them a symbolic tīrtha pool mirrors the idea of ‘immersion’ in words—ripples shaped like syllables.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification comes not only from sacred bathing (tīrtha-snāna) but equally from hearing truth-filled, nectar-like spiritual instruction.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named in this verse; it praises the general purifying power of tīrthas and of sacred teaching within the Tīrthamāhātmya context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-avagāha (immersion/bathing at a sacred ford) is referenced as a purifier; the verse also elevates śravaṇa (listening to sacred words) as an equivalent spiritual practice.