Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 1

Devanagari script

श्रीमार्कण्डेय उवाच । ततो गच्छेन्महीपाल तीर्थं परमशोभनम् । सौभाग्यकरणं दिव्यं नरनारीमनोरमम्

Transliteration

śrīmārkaṇḍeya uvāca | tato gacchenmahīpāla tīrthaṃ paramaśobhanam | saubhāgyakaraṇaṃ divyaṃ naranārīmanoramam

Translation

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya dit : Ensuite, ô roi, qu’on se rende à un tīrtha d’une beauté suprême, un gué sacré—lieu divin qui confère la bonne fortune, charmant pour hommes et femmes.

Word by Word

• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: the revered Mārkaṇḍeya
• श्रीमार्कण्डेयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीमार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—श्री + मार्कण्डेय

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• ततः: then
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय/तस्मात्)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थक (then/from there)

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी

• महीपाल: O king (protector of the earth)
• महीपाल: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—मही-पाल (महीम् पालयति)

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमशोभनम्: supremely beautiful
• परमशोभनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—परम-शोभन (अत्यन्तं शोभनम्)

• सौभाग्यकरणम्: bringing good fortune
• सौभाग्यकरणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौभाग्य + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—सौभाग्य-करण (सौभाग्यं करोति)

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नरनारीमनोरमम्: delightful to men and women
• नरनारीमनोरमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नर + नारी + मनोरम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—नर-नारी-मनोरम (नरनारीणां मनोरमम्)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: tirtha

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mahīpāla (king)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant tīrtha vista: broad steps, flowering trees, clear water, and a festive yet serene crowd of men and women; Mārkaṇḍeya leads the king toward the shining ford, indicating its saubhāgya-bestowing nature.

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Pilgrimage to a praised tīrtha is presented as a dharmic means for cultivating saubhāgya (auspicious well-being) and upliftment.

Which specific holy site (Tīrtha) is glorified here?

A saubhāgya-bestowing tīrtha is introduced, but its proper name is not given in this verse alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The instruction begins with going (gacchet) to the tīrtha; further rites are detailed in subsequent verses.