Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 69

Devanagari script

अत्र स्नात्वा विधानेन द्रष्टव्योऽत्र प्रयत्नतः । देवो गुप्तहरिर्नाम सर्वकामार्थसिद्धिदः

Transliteration

atra snātvā vidhānena draṣṭavyo'tra prayatnataḥ | devo guptaharirnāma sarvakāmārthasiddhidaḥ

Translation

Having bathed here according to the proper rite, one should earnestly strive to behold here the deity named Guptahari, who grants the fulfillment of every desired aim.

Word by Word

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• vidhānena: according to the prescribed rite
• vidhānena: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• draṣṭavyaḥ: is to be seen/should be visited
• draṣṭavyaḥ: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + tavya (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थः—‘द्रष्टव्यः’

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

• prayatnataḥ: with effort, diligently
• prayatnataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prayatna (प्रातिपदिक) + tas (तसिल्)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (adverb: ‘with effort’)

• devaḥ: the deity
• devaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• guptahariḥ: Guptahari (the hidden Hari)
• guptahariḥ: Apposition (Samanadhikarana/समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gupta-hari (प्रातिपदिक; गुप्त + हरि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (गुप्तः हरिः)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Sambandha (Naming/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘by name’)

• sarvakāmārthasiddhidaḥ: giver of the fulfillment of all desired aims
• sarvakāmārthasiddhidaḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-kāma-artha-siddhi-da (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + काम + अर्थ + सिद्धि + द)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (देवस्य); समासः—(सर्वकामार्थस्य सिद्धिं ददाति)

Speaker

Agastya (contextual narration within the dialogue)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Guptahari at Sarayū–Ghargharā Saṅgama

Type: sangam

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At the confluence, a small, partly concealed shrine under trees or within a natural embankment niche—‘Guptahari’; pilgrims emerge from the water, wet garments clinging, then approach with lamps and tulasī, faces intent on darśana.

Characters & Entities

• Guptahari
• Gopratāra
• Sarayū
• Ghargharā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purification through prescribed bathing culminates in darśana of the Lord; disciplined ritual supports devotional attainment and worldly as well as spiritual fulfillment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The saṅgama tīrtha near Gopratāra in Ayodhyā, associated with the deity Guptahari.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (bathing) must be performed ‘vidhānena’ (according to proper procedure), followed by intentional darśana of Guptahari.