Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा पार्थिवो राजन्निमिः परमदुर्मनाः । बभूव न कृतं पूर्वं यतस्तीर्थावगाहनम्

Transliteration

tacchrutvā pārthivo rājannimiḥ paramadurmanāḥ | babhūva na kṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ yatastīrthāvagāhanam

Translation

Hearing that, O king, Nimi became deeply distressed, for he realized that earlier he had not performed immersion and bathing in the sacred tīrthas.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (it)
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम; (श्रुत्वा इत्यस्य कर्म)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तः (absolutive/gerund), धातुः—श्रु; अर्थः—'having heard'

• पार्थिवः: the king
• पार्थिवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचनम्

• राजन्: O king
• राजन्: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचनम्

• निमिः: Nimi
• निमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचनम्; व्यक्तिनाम

• परमदुर्मनाः: extremely dejected
• परमदुर्मनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + दुर्मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (निमिः); कर्मधारयः (परमः दुर्मनाः)

• बभूव: became, was
• बभूव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; धातुः—भू

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निषेध-निपातः (negation)

• कृतम्: done
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगे 'done'

• पूर्वम्: previously
• पूर्वम्: Desha-Kala (Adverbial/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; कालवाचक (formerly/before)

• यतः: because
• यतः: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; हेतुवाचक (because/since)

• तीर्थावगाहनम्: bathing/immersion at a tīrtha
• तीर्थावगाहनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ + अवगाहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (तीर्थे अवगाहनम्)

Speaker

Pulastya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king addressed as ‘rājan’ (here Nimi is the immediate subject)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Nimi, crowned yet downcast, stands near a sacred waterbody; his posture shows regret as he realizes he has not performed tīrtha-immersion.

Characters & Entities

• Nimi
• tīrtha-avagāhana (tīrtha immersion)
• king (listener)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Awareness of neglected dharma (like tīrtha-snān) can awaken remorse that turns one back toward pilgrimage, purification, and spiritual effort.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Tīrthas in general are emphasized here, within the Arbuda setting leading to Jambū Tīrtha’s particular praise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-avagāhana—entering and bathing/immersing in a sacred ford.