Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 68

Devanagari script

तस्मादत्र प्रकर्तव्यं स्नानं विधिपुरःसरम् । शेषरूपाहिवद्ध्येयाः पूज्या विप्रा विशेषतः

Transliteration

tasmādatra prakartavyaṃ snānaṃ vidhipuraḥsaram | śeṣarūpāhivaddhyeyāḥ pūjyā viprā viśeṣataḥ

Translation

Therefore bathing here should certainly be done, preceded by proper observance. One should meditate upon the sacred serpent in the form of Śeṣa, and—especially—honour the brāhmaṇas with worship.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतौ (therefore)

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• prakartavyam: to be done; should be performed
• prakartavyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-√kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (स्नानम्)

• snānam: bathing
• snānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: snāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vidhi-puraḥsaram: preceded by proper procedure
• vidhi-puraḥsaram: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक) + puraḥsara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुषः (विधिः पुरःसरः यस्य)

• śeṣa-rūpa-ahi-vat: like a serpent in the form of Śeṣa
• śeṣa-rūpa-ahi-vat: Kriya-Visheshana (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ahi (प्रातिपदिक) + vat (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; क्रियाविशेषण (वत्-प्रत्ययेन तुल्यत्वे)

• dhyeyāḥ: to be meditated upon
• dhyeyāḥ: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhyai (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्/अनीयर्-भाव), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (विप्राः)

• pūjyāḥ: to be worshipped/honoured
• pūjyāḥ: Vidhi (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (विप्राः)

• viprāḥ: brāhmaṇas
• viprāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-Visheshana (Emphasis/विशेष)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa-tas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विशेषार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (especially)

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced for Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa–Ayodhyāmāhātmya context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā-tīrtha (Śeṣa-dhyāna-pradhāna)

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At dawn on a riverbank, a pilgrim performs regulated snāna, then sits in meditation visualizing Śeṣa as a radiant many-hooded serpent; nearby, brāhmaṇas are respectfully welcomed with pādya/arghya and offerings.

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa
• vipra (brāhmaṇas)
• tīrtha (Sarayū-bank)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Tīrtha merit increases when rites are done with proper discipline and with reverence for sacred beings and holy persons.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Sarayū-bank tīrtha in Ayodhyā associated with Śeṣa (Sahasradhārā context).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vidhipūrvaka snāna, meditation on Śeṣa as a serpent-form, and special honour to brāhmaṇas.