Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

बहवस्तन्न जानन्ति विष्णुमायाविमोहिताः । यत्र सिद्धा महाभागा ऋषयः सतपोधनाः

Transliteration

bahavastanna jānanti viṣṇumāyāvimohitāḥ | yatra siddhā mahābhāgā ṛṣayaḥ satapodhanāḥ

Translation

Beaucoup ne le connaissent pas, égarés par la māyā de Viṣṇu ; là se trouvent les siddhas, les ṛṣis fortunés, véritablement riches d’austérités, qui ont atteint l’accomplissement.

Word by Word

• बहवः: many (people)
• बहवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘that (place/thing)’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-निपात (negation)

• जानन्ति: know
• जानन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• विष्णुमायाविमोहिताः: deluded by Viṣṇu’s māyā
• विष्णुमायाविमोहिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णुमाया + विमोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विष्णोः मायया विमोहिताः), क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (बहवः)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध/देशवाचक-अव्यय (relative adverb: where)

• सिद्धाः: the perfected ones
• सिद्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• महाभागाः: greatly fortunate
• महाभागाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महाभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् भागः/भाग्यं येषाम्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ऋषयः/सिद्धाः)

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सतपोधनाः: virtuous ascetics (rich in austerity)
• सतपोधनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + तपोधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सन्तः तपोधनाः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (ऋषयः)

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya (continuing)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Mokṣatīrtha

Type: ghat

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contrast scene: ordinary travelers pass by unaware, while radiant siddha sages meditate near the Mokṣatīrtha; a subtle veil motif (māyā) separates perception from reality; Mārkaṇḍeya points out the sanctity to Yudhiṣṭhira.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Mokṣatīrtha
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Spiritual ignorance can persist due to māyā; true sacred sites are recognized through dharmic insight and the testimony of realized sages.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the praise of Mokṣatīrtha, indicating it as a siddha-sevita (frequented by perfected beings) location.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit rite is stated here; the emphasis is on recognizing the tīrtha’s sanctity validated by siddha sages.