Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

तत्फलं लभते नूनं तत्र तीर्थेऽभिषेचनात् । तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं निर्मितं शम्भुना पुरा

Transliteration

tatphalaṃ labhate nūnaṃ tatra tīrthe'bhiṣecanāt | tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ nirmitaṃ śambhunā purā

Translation

Ce même fruit, assurément, on l’obtient en accomplissant l’abhiṣeka, le bain de consécration, en ce tīrtha. C’est le tīrtha suprême parmi les tīrthas, jadis établi par Śambhu (Śiva).

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्; निर्देशात्मक-विशेषणम् (demonstrative)

• फलम्: fruit/result
• फलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (2nd/Accusative), एकवचनम्

• लभते: obtains
• लभते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• नूनम्: surely
• नूनम्: Sambandha (Discourse/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नूनम् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of certainty)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• तीर्थे: at the sacred ford/place
• तीर्थे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (7th/Locative), एकवचनम्

• अभिषेचनात्: from/through the act of consecration (bathing/ablution)
• अभिषेचनात्: Apadana (Source/Cause/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, पञ्चमी-विभक्तिः (5th/Ablative), एकवचनम्; हेत्वर्थः (cause/source)

• तीर्थानाम्: of (all) sacred places
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (6th/Genitive), बहुवचनम्

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तीर्थम्: sacred place
• तीर्थम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Nom/Acc), एकवचनम्

• निर्मितम्: made/created
• निर्मितम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + मि (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्

• शम्भुना: by Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भुना: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया-विभक्तिः (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचनम्

• पुरा: formerly, long ago
• पुरा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्ययम् (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced for Āvantya Khaṇḍa narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Paramatīrtha on Revā (Śambhu-nirmita)

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: null

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Śiva (Śambhu) is envisioned establishing the tīrtha in ancient time—striking the earth or blessing the river-ford—while pilgrims perform abhiṣeka; a radiant inscription-like aura proclaims ‘tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrtham’.

Characters & Entities

• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Tīrtha
• Abhiṣecana

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-established sacred places carry exceptional efficacy; simple abhiṣeka at such a tīrtha can equal the loftiest religious merits.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A ‘parama tīrtha’ in Revākhaṇḍa, explicitly said to be established by Śambhu (Śiva).

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Tīrtha-abhiṣecana—performing consecratory bathing at that specific holy spot.