Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

तत्र तीर्थे तपस्तप्त्वा वालखिल्या मरीचयः । रमन्तेऽद्यापि लोकेषु स्वेच्छया कुरुनन्दन

Transliteration

tatra tīrthe tapastaptvā vālakhilyā marīcayaḥ | ramante'dyāpi lokeṣu svecchayā kurunandana

Translation

Après avoir pratiqué l’ascèse en ce tīrtha, les Vālakhilya et les Marīci se réjouissent encore aujourd’hui, parcourant les mondes à leur gré, ô joie des Kuru.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Locative setting/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण)

• तीर्थे: at the tīrtha
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तपः: austerity, penance
• तपः: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तप्त्वा: having performed (austerity)
• तप्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• वालखिल्याः: the Vālakhilya sages
• वालखिल्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वालखिल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मरीचयः: the Marīcis (rays/sages named Marīci)
• मरीचयः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरीचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• रमन्ते: they delight/sport
• रमन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• अद्यापि: even today, still
• अद्यापि: Kala-adhikarana (Time setting/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य + अपि (अव्यय-द्वय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक + निपात)

• लोकेषु: in the worlds
• लोकेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• स्वेच्छया: by their own will
• स्वेच्छया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + इच्छा (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: स्वस्य इच्छा), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/प्रकारवाचक

• कुरुनन्दन: O delight of the Kurus
• कुरुनन्दन: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: कुरूणां नन्दनः), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā-tīrtha (unspecified sub-tīrtha)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A Kuru prince/king addressed as ‘Kurunandana’

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Tiny, radiant Vālakhilya sages and the sage Marīci performing austerities on a Narmadā bank; above them, subtle pathways to multiple lokas, indicating free movement through worlds.

Characters & Entities

• Vālakhilya(s)
• Marīci/Marīcayaḥ
• Kurunandana (Yudhiṣṭhira)
• Karkaṭeśvara
• Narmadā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A sacred site is validated by the tapas of ancient sages; austerity at such a place is linked with spiritual attainment and freedom.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The same Karkaṭeśvara tīrtha in the Revā Khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tapas (austerity) is highlighted as a practice performed at the tīrtha, modeled by revered sages.