Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 3

Devanagari script

विभक्तं हस्तमात्रं च पुण्यक्षेत्रं नराधिप । सुवर्णशिलके स्नात्वा पूजयित्वा महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

vibhaktaṃ hastamātraṃ ca puṇyakṣetraṃ narādhipa | suvarṇaśilake snātvā pūjayitvā maheśvaram

Translation

Ô seigneur des hommes, ce kṣetra méritoire est distinct, n’ayant pour étendue qu’une mesure de main. Après s’être baigné à Suvarṇaśilā et avoir adoré Maheśvara (Śiva)…

Word by Word

• vibhaktam: divided/separated
• vibhaktam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√bhaj (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• hastamātram: a hand’s measure
• hastamātram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (hastasya mātram = a hand’s measure)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• puṇyakṣetram: holy field/sacred place
• puṇyakṣetram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (puṇyaṃ kṣetram)

• narādhipa: O lord of men (king)
• narādhipa: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (narāṇām adhipaḥ)

• suvarṇaśilake: at Suvarṇaśilā
• suvarṇaśilake: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + śilā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; स्थानवाचक; तत्पुरुषः (suvarṇā śilā)

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having bathed)

• pūjayitvā: having worshipped
• pūjayitvā: Kriya (Non-finite verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु) + itvā/ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having worshipped)

• maheśvaram: Maheśvara (Śiva)
• maheśvaram: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Suvarṇaśilā

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: King (narādhipa)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A pilgrim bathes at a small marked patch by the river—barely a hand’s breadth—then offers flowers and bilva to a Śiva emblem (liṅga) under a riverside tree; the king is instructed by the sage.

Characters & Entities

• Suvarṇaśilā
• Maheśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even a small, well-consecrated sacred precinct can yield great merit when approached with proper bath and worship of Śiva.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Suvarṇaśilā, a bathing spot associated with worship of Maheśvara, within the Revā Khaṇḍa sacred geography.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Snāna (ritual bathing) at Suvarṇaśilā followed by pūjā (worship) of Maheśvara (Śiva).