Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

अधुना श्रोतुमिच्छामस्तीर्थमाहात्म्यमुत्तमम् । कानि तीर्थानि पुण्यानि भूतलेऽस्मिन्महामते

Transliteration

adhunā śrotumicchāmastīrthamāhātmyamuttamam | kāni tīrthāni puṇyāni bhūtale'sminmahāmate

Translation

Ahora deseamos oír la suprema grandeza de los tīrtha. Oh sabio, ¿cuáles son los tīrtha sagrados en esta tierra que otorgan mérito de modo especial?

Word by Word

• अधुना: now
• अधुना: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधुना (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• श्रोतुम्: to hear
• श्रोतुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (Infinitive), क्रियार्थक (purpose)

• इच्छामः: we desire
• इच्छामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन

• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: the greatness of the pilgrimage-place(s)
• तीर्थमाहात्म्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तीर्थस्य माहात्म्यम्)

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (माहात्म्यस्य)

• कानि: which (ones)
• कानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; प्रश्नवाचक-सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• पुण्यानि: holy, meritorious
• पुण्यानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (तीर्थाणाम्)

• भूतले: on the earth
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• महामते: O great-minded one
• महामते: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (महती मतिः यस्य)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Arbuda tīrtha-cycle (to be detailed) / Prabhāsa-kṣetra frame

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Vyāsa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages leaning forward in eager inquiry before Vyāsa; behind them a stylized map-like panorama of rivers, mountains, temples—hinting at forthcoming tīrtha enumeration.

Characters & Entities

• Ṛṣis
• Tīrthas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Seeking knowledge of sacred geography is itself a dharmic impulse—pilgrimage and tīrtha-awareness are presented as pathways to puṇya.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is named yet; the verse introduces the forthcoming catalog of tīrthas in the Arbuda/Prabhāsa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

An implicit prescription to listen (śravaṇa) attentively to tīrtha-māhātmya teachings.